My fairy Godmother

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he thought of a fairy godmother is often one of sparkles and magic. Of dreams and wishes that miraculously come true after one is granted a graceful visit from an old lady dressed in a ball gown waving a magic wand. Now, we all know that such individuals do not exist per say, but I’ve no doubt that there are people in our lives that could be compared as such, minus the tulle and sparkles. I met my fairy godmother on Saturday. She is slim, in her thirties and has golden hair in ringlets. She is pretty and smart and she is my naturopath. Now don’t let me lose you there, yes one wouldn’t expect to pay a fairy godmother for assistance but assistance that changes your life warrants the title, well at least that’s what I believe. As mentioned in my NY resolution number four a special endeavour of mine is to reach my goal weight, but of late I should say that my weight is not my main concern. My overall health and wellbeing is something that I am now paying special attention to. Its easy to let oneself go, and by that I do not mean become obese, more along the lines of forget to take care of ourselves, forget to do the little things like read a book, get a massage or just sit alone and be. I am an expert in putting myself last and I always manage to come up with the best excuses for it. ‘I don’t have the money’, ‘I don’t have the time’, ‘next week’, ‘tomorrow’… all sentences I throw up with ease when prompted to do something for myself. I even went 9 months without a single haircut just because I didn’t ‘have the money’, a definite falsification.

We become so caught up in achieving the ‘perfect body’ (by perfect I mean the ones portrayed in magazines) that we sacrifice our health to get it. Diet pills, meal replacement shakes, skipping meals, bulimia, cellulite treatments, laser therapy and laxatives, we will employ any and all methods necessary to get where we want to be. I am guilty of it, I’m a classic gen-Y chasing a quick fix, but what are these extreme measures doing to our bodies? ‘Your body is a temple’, I can definitely say that I have not been treating my body as a temple; in fact I don’t think I ever have. So where does this leave us? The business of putting ourselves last and chasing a quick fix can be more harmful to our bodies then we think.

Many religions and spiritual belief systems believe in the body’s trinity- that is mind, body and soul. I can say that I generally only focus on my body and forget to nourish my mind and soul, and I’ve never really contemplated the effect this could have on my mind and soul until my fairy godmother told it to me straight. The consultation started with a two-page questionnaire listing many common ailments. I was to select the most relevant number to each question, one being I experience the symptom rarely and five I experience it frequently.  I quickly completed the questions relating to headaches, my sleep patterns and digestion and returned the forms to her, leaving my dignity at the door. She slowly talked me through my answers and probed further into my health and as I sat teary eyed in her crisp office, snuggled into the suede tub chair she rang out her diagnosis.

‘You’re nervous system has crashed, your circulatory system is struggling, your digestive system is fed up, your immune system is asleep and your chakras are essentially non existent- basically you are a mess’

I had suspected as much, but it means a lot more coming from a professional further to this what the hell is a chakra?

She explained the connections between the systems in the body and the responses we have to external influences like stress. Our body is not built to differentiate an attack by a sabre tooth tiger compared to the stress of a huge project at work. How odd, to think that the physical strain I am putting on myself by being stressed (and not managing it) is the same strain I would endure if escaping an animal attack?  

An hour later I left her office feeling stripped and raw, but slightly relieved. Relieved that there could actually be some reasoning behind the way I’ve been feeling physically and emotionally. My bank account took a beating and I was sent home with a bottle of specially blended herbal tonic to sooth and console my nervous system, extreme garlic capsules to awaken my immune system, vitamin B blends to cure a list of symptoms, a new eating plan full of nourishing foods I’ve previously deprived myself of and a follow up appointment in two weeks to track my progress.

So I’ve been taking my vitamins and disgusting herbal tonic since Saturday and can definitely mark an improvement in my mood and energy levels, lets just hope I can stick to it! Ill let you all know how I go, wish me luck! Yuck!

Tell me your thoughts! Are you embarking on a new diet or exercise plan? I want to hear about it, either comment below or email me at bennywithlove@gmail.com

XX <3 Benny

Snapper Dinner

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esolution 6, ‘To achieve my goal weight’. Now I have no intention of disclosing what my goal weight is however I do plan to discuss my methods for achieving said goal. So to start with I thought I’d share a special, health conscious dish that I cooked last night for my housemate and I… enjoy!

Benny’s Snappy Snapper

Ingredients

Two large Snapper cutlets

A little plain flour

3 Lemons

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Side Salad

Rocket

Cos lettuce

Method

1.    Place a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet and allow to heat.

2.    Lightly flour both sides of Snapper cutlets and shake off excess. Season with salt and pepper

3.    Once skillet is hot, place cutlets in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Should take about 10-12 minutes to cook entirely. 


Squeeze 2 lemons over the Snapper immediately once they are cooked.

4.    For side salad chop cos lettuce in large chunks and toss together with rocket leaves, fresh lemon juice, pepper and olive oil.

Enjoy!!

New Year Resolution.

With the new year fast approaching I’ve begun contemplating my 2012 new years resolutions. Now like many of you, I have trouble keeping to my resolutions or even remembering what they are, however upon my reflection of the past 12 months I have realised that I have actually acquired what I had wished for in the new year. My wished resolution for 2011 did not arrive with haste or with blinding lights but it carefully wove itself into my world and it is only now that I recognise the change. So based on the success of this years wish I feel somewhat pressured to make my resolution’s for 2012 impeccably perfect.

 

In 2011 I wished for courage. The courage to follow my heart and to follow my dreams. The courage to make the life change I had always wanted. I found that courage and now in 2012 im going to build on it.

So further to the latter I have comprised a small list of my 2012 NY Resolutions and desires. May they inspire you to create your list.

 

1. To drive leisurely through Italy 

Cinque Terre, Italy

2. To fall in total and consuming love- well perhaps become ready for this type of love

3. To learn fluent Greek

4. To achieve my goal weight

ok lets just pause here for a minute. My Goal Weight. This is something which has quite literally controlled every aspect of my life for the last 7 years. My god! Due to this, you will notice several NYRs relating to this topic. Its a new year for me and I need to focus on myself!

ok... continue... 

5. To write a book

6. To free myself from all toxic past relationships. No going back.

7.  To be confident to wear a bikini and or walk around the house naked

8. To actually want to take pictures of myself and be happy with how I look

enjoy!

<3 benny