Tis the season ... for the flu !

Well, Santa came early this year and on Christmas Eve, he delicately placed an unexpected gift in my stocking: the mighty flu!

For the first three days, I did not leave my bed nor see the light of day. It totally floored me. I felt like a strip of bacon, all twisted and crinkly, left to fry on a beach in the harsh sun.

I only got up to get to the bathroom to fill up my glass with fresh water and every time was a mini adventure.
I felt like a lost drunken dwarf, hunchback and all, bumping into walls and doors, tiptoeing as everything hurt. And I mean everything: toes, tummy, neck, shoulders, head, jaws, teeth, small muscles I did not even know I had... and to make things a little more interesting, I got an fibro and endo flare on top of it! Pure joy.

I "slept" an average of 16 hours a day, unable to breathe properly, with a burning throat, a fever, cold sweats, watery eyes, body aching all over....
I went from soft moaning noises to gentle rocking back and forth to a few hallucinations (think dolphins dancing in the tree outside my window... don't ask)

I haven't had much to eat apart from fruit and soup but this is definitely not the type of diet I'd follow to lose weight. I also had an allergic reaction to God knows what on my legs and arms... all red and itchy with blood spots all over.

If you know my story, you know that I really know pain and that my pain threshold is very high. And that I don't take any medication. This year has relatively been pain free for me because I've been sticking to a health routine that works.... Things got a little tough recently and I kind of let that go for a while. Big mistake!

Now, it is never good publicity for a therapist to admit that they got super sick but I could not careless. I am human and definitely not perfect and when I stray from what I'm supposed to do for my health, well, this happens. Last time I had the flu was actually on my birthday three years ago (I know what you are thinking.... this woman knows how to party, right?!) I was at a Jazz Festival and never saw any of it! Well, this year, the Christmas party happened downstairs and again, I saw none of it.

Why am I writing this? Two things.
One, whether you have a bunch of illnesses like me or not, bad things happen even if you regularly take good care of yourself. You cannot be in control of everything all the time... and that is ok. If you are suffering right now, start again now. Lots of fluid, oregano and ravensara essential oils, elderberry juice, lemon water etc... and lots of rest.

Two, I am definitely not the only one to which this happened over Christmas so I just want you to know that you are definitely not alone in this and that soon, you'll be fine with good levels of energy to ring in the New Year. In the meantime, be gentle with yourself.

Finally I really want to thank everyone who messaged me over the last few days, asking me how I was doing. It is always nice to see that someone is thinking of you when your head is down the toilet! :-)

MY MAGICAL VEGAN PANCAKES

(recette en français en bas de la page)

I took a long break from the blog over the summer. I mainly focused on developing my business but I also took some much needed time off. I had come to a point where I put everyone else's needs before mine... which is fine...after all, it is my job to guide and coach those who want to get their health back on track. However as the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup. So I went and filled my cup with what I wanted! Reading a book, meditating and doing yoga outside, taking long strolls in the woods, on the beach and exploring Portugal (more on that soon!) ... I welcomed the peace and quiet with open arms.

We are now nearly at the end of September and the pace has accelerated. We are back at work, the kids have settled in their new school routine and the days are getting shorter.
In order to keep our spirits high, I'd say this recipe is VERY important ☺

These pancakes are a must-make! They are delicious, fluffy and SO tasty it is unreal...They are ridiculously easy to make and gluten free. Oh, and you only need 3 ingredients. Mind blown.

My friends call them Isa's magical pancakes and it makes me happy every time I hear that.

I make them pretty much every Sunday (if it were just me, I'd actually make them everyday) and we never get bored of them. (Did I mention how fluffy they are?) 😉 I top them with fruits and berries and nuts and maple syrup and melted chocolate and warm compote...the choice is yours! Leave me a comment if you make them! x

INGREDIENTS: (for 2 people)

1 large mug of organic oat flakes
1 large mug and 1/4 of nut milk of your choice (I use oat or almond milk, you can add more later if you want to )
1 banana
1 teaspoon of orange blossom (optional)

METHOD: Put all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blitz away!
Heat up your pan (I use grape seed or coconut  oil)
Pour a little amount of the mixture into the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. When you see little holes and bubbles on top, it is time to gently flip them over.
Serve immediately with syrup and fruit.

______________________________________
Mes pancakes magiques

INGREDIENTS (pour 2 personnes)

1 grand mug de flocons d'avoine bio
1 grand mug  1/4 de lait végétal de votre choix (j'utilise du lait d'amande ou d'avoine, vous pouvez en rajouter un peu selon vote goût)
1 banane
1 cuillère à café de fleur d'oranger

METHODE: Mettre tous les ingrédients dans un blender puissant et mixer.
Faire chauffer une crêpière (j'utilise de l'huile de pépins de raisins ou de coco)
Verser un peu de la pâte dans la poêle et faire cuire pendant quelques minutes. Quand des petites bulles ou petits trous apparaissent, vous pouvez les retourner délicatement.
Servir immédiatement avec des fruits frais, du sirop d'érable, des noix à coques, du chocolat fondu, des compotes tièdes...

Health update June 2018

This time last year,  I was still struggling with my health. I couldn't do much and when I did, my body would hate me for days. I would get stabbing pain in my lower back and abdomen as well as constant pain in my leg and arm muscles pretty much all the time. The extreme fatigue did not help either. I would sometimes tear up from pain just to get out of bed. Little did I know then, that a few months later, I would add Fibromyalgia to my list of illnesses. I will spare you the details but all of it wore me out and took a toll on my mental health. The only thing that kept me going at the time was studying for my holistic naturopathy and nutrition exam. That was my goal and I put a lot of work into it. I broke down into tears from relief and joy when I passed as you can imagine.

Fast forward about 12 months and here we are. My pain has been very low for at least 3 months now (I'm actually afraid to say this out loud so please Universe, don't go all Murphy's Law on me!). I have a lot of energy throughout the day that I didn't have before. I can do things at the weekend like take a trip in the van or have long workout sessions or go on 8-kilometre mountain hikes (that's 5 miles for my non metric friends 😊). It might not sound like much for a standard person but it is pretty amazing for a spoonie. And it is definitely amazing to me. A few months ago, I never thought that I would be this active again without paying the physical consequences later. So let me tell you about what I have been doing. But before I go on, just remember that everybody is different and that my lifestyle might not work 100% for you and that you might have to tweak it to suit your needs. I am lucky enough to work for myself and to decide on my working hours... and even though I do have more energy than before, I still take short breaks now and then. Rest is essential for our bodies to regenerate and function properly.

January was a pretty bad month health wise. The aftermath of my exam, the effects it had on my body and mind and let's be real... it was a tad ambitious of me to think I could take 2 trips in one month without worrying about what I could or could not eat and how my body would respond... Anyhoo, it was bad and eventually took its toll on me so after I got back home, the first thing I did was to forgive myself for falling off the wagon and I started taking care of myself properly again.

I created a health routine, I even made a free guide about it (If you don't have it and want more health tips and recipes, you can find it HERE, it's free!...you're welcome 😊). 

But about three months ago, I even took it further. The routine was working well, I was sleeping again and I felt happier however I was still in pain. So I focused on getting my body all the micro-nutrients that it needed. What is a micro-nutrient you ask? Well, first you need to know that "mAcro-nutrients" with an A are fat, carbs and protein. Micro-nutrients are commonly referred to as minerals and antioxydants (think acid folic, manganese, iron, potassium, amino acid, zinc for example) as well as all your vitamins.  They are essential to the proper functioning of the body's various systems and  work together with the macro-nutrients.. They are needed in small quantities everyday and a lack of micro-nutrients can lead to serious health issues such as anaemia, brain damage, miscarriages, osteoporosis, eczema, chronic symptoms and so on. 

I receive emails and messages daily from people all over the world telling me about their health and what they are doing ...and I often say the same thing: it might not be what you're doing or what you are eating but it is more than likely what you are NOT eating or doing.... 

Of course what you eat and how you eat it is key as food is our primary medicine. But you also need to look at what you are not giving your body and what you should include into your everyday eating habits.

The answer is simple: Start juicing! And if you have just rolled your eyes at me, it is clear that you have never done it or not for long enough.

By juicing everyday, once or twice a day maybe morning and lunch (I am NOT talking about a juice fast here) and embracing a more plant-based whole foods diet, I promise you will quickly see an improvement on your health. Simple as that. I am proof that it works and with everything else that I am doing, juicing has tremendously helped to improve my blood circulation and boost my immune system. And it is not just me. By juicing and taking care of your gut, you can eliminate toxins and chronic diseases and bad bacteria. And let's face it, you can never have too many vegetables. It is also a very good way to get a great amount of veg if you don't like to eat them. In one tall glass, you can actually get all the benefits of three of four servings depending on what you put in your juicer. 

You will also notice improvement in your digestion (since it is a juice, you will gain back the energy you normally use to digest your normal food), improvement in your skin (it will brighten and clear up), your vision will improve too (carrots contain Vitamin A which is good for your eyes for exemple), your energy will be off the charts (without any crashes later on), your body will get rid of the toxins (which can slow you down) leaving you with clean filtering organs (like your liver, colon and kidneys),  you will get that hydration that is essential to our bodies since fruit and veg contain a good amount of water and finally, you will also start to lose weight. It will also improve your mental health as you will start to feel happier. 

NB: you should not rely on juices only for hydration but continue to drink a lot of water everyday throughout the day, and if you find it boring, just infuse it with basil, lemon, cucumber, berries or whatever herb or fruit you like.

- Whatever you do, don't buy your juice as you do not want any added sugar or additives in it. Unless someone makes it at a juice bar in front of you, it is always better to make it yourself. If you want some quick recipes, I am thinking about posting a few so let me know if you are interested - on here or on Instagram - (There are already a few in my Instagram highlights in the Health Tips section).

Of course, you also need some common sense. If you continue to grill steaks every time you organise a barbecue or have fried food or chicken wings dipped in whatever greasy sauce or munch on sweets or crisps or all of the above, you will get little to zero benefit from juicing. However if you decide to seriously start taking care of yourself, eating right and juicing is the way to go.

It tastes fresh and delicious and you can get creative with fruit and veg of course, but also herbs and roots and plants. You will be amazed at what you can do and how your body will respond.

And for my spoonies out there, if you only have one or two spoons to spare, just do this for yourself, for your body. It will thank you later. (Juice, go back to couch, drink slowly and let someone else do the cleaning for today 😌) 

Every little step counts and as I always say: do not forget that YOU have the power to heal yourself. It is never too late and choosing to do so is always a step in the right direction. You got this.

MARINARA SAUCE

Recette en français en bas de la page

We are two days into Spring and where I am in France, it is still cold, still grey, still dull. *SIGH* Which is maybe why I haven't blogged in a while. I've been in denial, hibernating and thinking about warmer pastures.

A couple of days ago, I made this lovely and simple Marinara sauce.... the smell in my kitchen was just divine! Whilst stirring, I closed my eyes for a minute and pictured myself on the Mediterranean Coast with a soft breeze in my hair and the sun gently hitting my face.... I could feel the warmth hugging me tight... until I dropped my spoon in the pan! Anyway, until the sun comes back, you can make this and pretend you're on the French Riviera :-D
Oh and I have a personal message to address:  "Dear Winter, you have overstayed your welcome, time to bugger off now, K bye!"

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 4)

2 small onions (white or yellow)
4 cloves garlic
700g ripe tomatoes, blended smoothly ( or a big bottle of organic passata)
1 teaspoon paprika
A pinch of crushed chillies
A pinch of Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Some oregano and basil (I used a drop of pure organic essential oils but you can use dried or fresh herbs, 1 teaspoon each)
1/2 glass red wine
1/2 glass water
Some grapeseed oil for the pan
Pink salt and freshly ground pepper
Basil leaves to decorate

METHOD:

Blend your tomatoes in a high speed blender until smooth.
Finely chop onions and garlic (wait for 10 minutes before you cook your garlic)
Heat the oil in a pan (I used a wok) and add your onions and garlic. Stir and cook for a few minutes until golden.
Add the paprika and tomato paste. Stir, add the wine and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, water, chillies, Cayenne pepper and oils (or herbs). Stir for a few seconds then reduce the heat and cover with a lid.
Simmer for an hour. I use a heat diffuser as the longer it cooks, the better it will be.
Season to taste and serve with pasta or rice or grain of choice. Top with basil leaves.
_________________________________________________________________________________

INGREDIENTS (pour 4 personnes):

2 petits onions blancs ou jaunes
4 gousses d'ail
700 g tomates mûres, mixées finement (ou une grande bouteille de purée de tomates bio)
1 C à C paprika
Une pincée de piment en flocons
Une pincée de piment de Cayenne ou d'Espelette suivant les préférences
1 C à S de concentré de tomates
De l'origan et basilic (j'ai utilisé une goutte de mes huiles essentielles mais vous pouvez aussi utiliser des herbes fraîches ou séchées suivant les préférences, 1 C à C de chaque)
1/2 verre de vin rouge bio
1/2 verre d'eau (utiliser un verre d'eau entier si vous ne buvez pas d'alcool)
De l'huile de pépin de raisin pour la poêle
Du sel rose de l'Himalaya et du poivre noir fraîchement moulu
Des feuilles de basilic pour décorer

METHODE:

Peler et mixer vos tomates dans un blender de haute puissance. (Passer à l'étape suivante si vous avez une bouteille de purée de tomates).
Tailler finement les oignons et l'ail (attendre 10 minutes avant de cuire l'ail!)
Faire chauffer l'huile dans le plat (j'ai utilisé un wok) et ajouter oignon et ail. Mélanger et faire cuire pendant quelques minutes jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient dorés.
Ajouter le paprika et le concentré de tomates. Remuer jusqu'à l'obtention d'une pâte puis ajouter le vin. Diluer.
Ajouter ensuite les tomates, l'eau, les piments, les herbes (ou huiles essentielles). Remuer quelques instants puis réduire la chaleur à feu très doux et mettre un couvercle.
Mijoter pendant une heure (une demi heure est aussi possible), j'utilise un diffuseur, plus ca mijotera, meilleur ce sera.
Assaisonner à votre gout et servir sur un lit de spaghetti sans gluten ou complètes ou riz complet ou quinoa.

FREE GUIDE FOR SPOONIES : My daily routine

Hi everyone,

It is here! Finally (and for EndoAwarenessMonth nonetheless)! I have been working on this guide for a while now and between spoonie life, normal life, tech issues and the rest, I am so happy that it will now get to do its own thing out in the world.

This guide is about my daily routine using only holistic ways. It has 15 pages full of health tips and 3 brand new recipes which I hope will inspire you to find your own routine and make your chronic pain a little more bearable. As a thank you for having been a big support the last few months, I'm gifting it to you all for FREE. :-)

I believe YOU have the power to heal yourself and that it is important to share our knowledge to end our suffering.

I'm currently working on a cookbook with more anti-inflammatory recipes and natural health tips. I will keep you posted when it comes out.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy this free guide! Let me know how you like it and feel free to share #holisticisa on social media if you use the tips or make the recipes.

Enjoy sweet spoonies and have an amazing day!
xo

Enter your name and email on my homepage or click right here 

How and why I went vegan

A few weeks back, a few people asked me over on Instagram how and why I went vegan last July. I will mostly talk about the "how" in this post as I feel the "why" is personal to each and everyone of us. My "why" was a combination of health, illness management, my love for all animals, research on how they are treated and slaughtered as well as our planet and environment.

The "How" however is not that straightforward. I was a vegetarian for most of my life. Truth is, I've never liked the texture of meat (red, white, game or poultry). Too dense, too chewy, it was not really my taste.

CHILDHOOD...

Growing up, my parents raised me an omnivore. All organic food, straight from farmers and local markets. My father was an artisan baker (making sourdough bread and pastries in an wood-fired oven, something you do not see anymore nowadays). At the end of every other business day, he would trade dry or unsold bread with farmers who wanted animal feed, for eggs, poultry or milk.

We always had fresh milk, sour cream, cheese, organic free range eggs etc on the table. I would take a long time to finish my plate every time meat was on the menu. I would chew for hours (not kidding), finding it hard to swallow and if I didn't finish my lunch I would get the leftovers for dinner. Ugh. (The day we got a dog was a day filled with joy of course ... but it also meant that I could discreetly feed her the meat I could not eat under the table ;-))

THE FRENEMY......CHEESE...

Along the way and in no particular order I gave up most dairy, refined sugar and had a love-hate relationship with eggs. I also gave up fish 6 years ago. I even went vegan for a while in 2016 (truth: I cheated a little every month coz ...well, he following culprit)... cheese (mostly goat's cheese). This was why I never went fully vegan for more than a few weeks. I LOVED cheese. On pasta, on pizza, on crackers, on a platter with wine, cheese was my go-to snack. However, every time I had some, I would feel bloated afterwards, heavy and gassy (well, sorry but you've got to talk about this stuff!)

Many times I went off it but after a few days or weeks even I would always find my way back to it. It was like I was addicted (but later on that).

What got my attention was that every time I stopped eating cheese, I would feel much better and my gut was healthier. I won't go in depth into my health problems here but not eating cheese and dairy (even for a few days) seemed to have a positive effect on my gut, migraines and overall body. No inflammation! Also let's be real, there was no vile smell in the fridge! (Don't forget I live in France eh, stinky cheese and all....) Yet, I was too weak to give it up.

RESEARCH...

So I educated myself, did some research, watched videos and documentaries, read studies and I found out that there is a protein in cheese called casein which is highly addictive. Many doctors have conducted studies which prove that casein is slowly digested and once it enters our bloodstream, it releases heroin-like substances and causes severe addictions to cheese and dairy products. It is that strong. And as women, it also affects our mood and hormones.

After reading more and more about it, I decided to give it up for good. That was in July 2017. The first few days/weeks were hard. I was craving cheese big time. But I remained strong and turned to nuts and fruits and I even began making my own vegan cheese. About 4 weeks later, I weaned off of it. I was no longer craving it and having read studies and watched graphic images of how animals are treated, something clicked in my brain. I could not eat that stuff ever again. Not only for the animals but also for my health.

We've been brain-washed about the fact that we need dairy to get our daily dose of calcium. When you think about it, why not go straight to the source? Why get it through an animal? Just start eating more leafy greens, nuts, legumes or take supplements (which is also what is given to animals in the first place). And take vitamin supplements like B12.

TRANSITION... 

Cooking and preparation wise, my transition to being completely vegan was not a big change from being a vegetarian... I just needed more ideas. I found other go-to snacks.

To be honest, it doesn't take very long to prepare meals.... and I am not a professional chef. You just need to change the way you shop and have staples in the house at all times.

For instance, in your pantry, you should always have brown rice, lentils, beans, chick peas, coconut milk/cream, lots of spices and herbs, nuts, Medjool dates, pasta (Gluten free if you can), you can also try quinoa, millet, couscous etc... That will be your big shopping for dry ingredients.

Every two or three days, you can shop the fresh stuff like fruits and vegetables (exotic fruits, avocados, pineapples and seasonal fruits and vegs etc). The point of going plant-based is for you to eat fresh, whole, colourful and seasonal produce.

Once you become more familiar with vegan cooking, everything will fall into place. And don't believe we only eat leaves and salads!! Being a vegan can be a feast! You can have burgers, lasagna, dahls, curries, pizza, pasta, stews, stir-fries, French fries, pies, soups, anything you want, except much healthier and probably more exciting, as once you start cooking, you will become more creative and start experimenting and find new flavours. The important thing is that you get excited about the food.

DON'T GET OVERWHELMED, TAKE YOUR TIME.

If you want to transition but are not too sure how, take baby steps. Give yourself time. It is better to do it gradually than to feel overwhelmed and give up. And most of all, stop buying processed foods and prepared meals, even vegan ones! Being plant based to me is all about whole foods, I would not want to eat something full of refined sugar, salt or fat or that I didn't make myself. It is so quick to throw a good whole foods tasty meal together. That's what veganism is to me. Whole foods that keep you fuller longer.

If you need inspiration, I hope you can find it on this blog where I regularly post yummy and easy to make recipes. There are also great blogs and websites out there to get you started.

I am by no means an agressive vegan. The above is my own experience and opinion. I think it is okay that people do whatever they want to do. To each their own. I only hope that I can inspire someone to take a moment to think about it or research it or educate themselves before they make their final choice. Specially if you suffer from chronic pain, an auto immune disease or if you just want to lose weight and be healthier. 

It has worked for me so, why not you? Just have fun with it :)

French Galette des Rois

Traditionally, on January 6th in France, we celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem (Epiphany) by sharing a galette with friends and family. A little charm called "Fève" is hidden inside the cake and if you get it in your slice (without choking on it ;-)), you get to wear a paper crown and be called a King or Queen for the day.

This galette is a puff pastry cake filled with an almond cream usually made with sour cream, sugar and eggs. Today, I want to share my vegan version, more digestible, anti inflammatory and made with natural sugars and no fat. It is delicious, very sweet and light!

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 10)

2 sheets of vegan puff pastry (round, 230 g each) (you can use gluten free, or filo pastry)
15 Medjool dates (or 20 Deglet Nour soaked for an hour in a little boiling water)
1 large mug almond milk
2 tablespoons apple puree
2 large mugs of almond meal (freshly ground in my NutriBullet)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon bitter almond extract (optional)
A little milk and melted coconut oil for the glaze

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 180°C.
In a high speed blender, mix the dates, milk, apple puree and vanilla extract until a liquidy paste is formed. Transfer to a bowl and add the ground almonds. Stir gently.

Put parchment paper on a baking tray and lay the first puff pastry sheet. Pour the mixture onto it, spread it a little without going too close to the edges (leave about 2cm)
Place your little charm (not right in the middle!!) You can use an almond if you don't have one ;-)

Cover with the second pastry sheet and join the edges nicely, seal with a little almond milk. You can draw something on top if you want, but make sure to not go through the puff pastry with your knife.
Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.
As soon as the galette is out of the oven, brush gently with the milk and oil mixture. It will give your galette a nice glaze. Serve warm or cold. Keeps well in the fridge for a few days.