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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

23 1/2 hours a day

The title of this video "23 1/2 hours a day" is all about how we should make the best use of the other 1/2 hour in our day, to improve our health.  This is a great simple message and I encourage you to take 9 minutes now and watch it all the way through.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Quick seasonal persimmon smoothie


This time of year is perfect for using up those oh-so ripe Persimmons. We have a Hachiya persimmon tree and right now, it looks like a Christmas tree with bright orange persimmons as baubles.


The Hachiya persimmons are the heart shaped fruits that have to be eaten ONLY when really, really, really soft! They are terribly astringent beforehand - meaning that they dry your mouth out uncomfortably. It is the Fuyu persimmons that you can eat crunchy. Don't mistake the two, as you'll get a shock! Select Hachiya persimmons that feel like they are about to fall apart in your hand. Very squidgy is perfect...if you are in any doubt - leave it - or I dare you to try it and learn what astringency really is!  In England, the persimmons you get there are called Sharon Fruit.  They are a modified species like the hachiya but no longer astringent.

With all the rich foods we tend to eat this time of year, substituting a meal with a green smoothie is a great idea - even if this "green smoothie" is actually orange! Persimmons are low in calories, rich in fiber, contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants as well as good levels of minerals. Then there are all the benefits of eating/drinking the greens!

My smoothie recipes tend to be simple and make use of what I have and what needs using up. Here's what I made this morning:


Persimmon Smoothie Recipe: (serves two)
6 hachiya persimmons
1/2 cup of water (can be increased or decreased to your preference, whether you like thick or runny smoothies)
2 handfuls of variety of lettuce (I used romaine and some mixed leaves)
3 inches from the top of a head of celery (include leaves).

Halve the persimmons and scoop out the pulp, leaving the little white stalk/core part that you can see in this photo. I use a grapefruit spoon to do this, with the little teeth to get all the pulp out.

Put all the ingredients in the order listed in a Vitamix or powerful blender. Blend for a few seconds until smooth. Enjoy!



Stay healthy this Christmas-time.
Friday, December 23, 2011

What's in a name?

"Tickety-boo Health Coaching".

You may be wondering what 'tickety-boo health coaching' means....what is this blog is all about?   Well, allow me to elaborate.

Tickety-boo is a British word - now also commonly used in Canada.  It means things is going along just fine.....things are all tickety-boo. I think it has a nice ring to it and a sense of fun and ease.  It's a happy little word that makes you want to smile.  It doesn't mean everything is perfect, just that you have found a way to enjoy the positives in life.

So what about the "Health coaching" part? What is that all about? Health coaching is a way of guiding others to find the motivation to make changes that will improve their health.  The relationship between a health coach and their client is a supportive partnership where we can discuss topics such as:what is troubling most about a certain health condition; what would the person most want to change; what support do they have; what obstacles are there, etc, etc.  Health coaching focuses on the special issues and concerns unique to the individual person that are preventing them from leading a healthier life.

The simple goal of Tickety-boo health coaching therefore is to help you feel tickety-boo!


In my area of health coaching, I specialize in helping people with cancer and helping people improve their lifestyle to prevent cancer.  This includes diet (e.g. what should you eat during chemo or radiation therapy), what foods help with side effects of cancer and therapy, what exercise is good, ways of relaxing, guided imagery, biofeedback, spirituality, etc etc.

As my blog progresses, I'll tell you more about how we can work together and how tickety-boo health coaching can help you.  I'll be coaching people one on one and also running a variety of educational community programs.  I will also implement an e-coaching program too, for people who don't live local to me in Northern California.  All this to come soon.

But for now, take two minutes and watch this little video to help you understand just what feeling tickety-boo is all about. I bet you'll be singing along by the end of it!   It features Danny Kaye singing a song entitled "Everything is tickety-goo" from a movie called "Merry Andrew". 

 

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