Come and cosy up with a steaming bowl of parsnip soup - 10 / 10 club November thread

[FrannyonFire]

For anyone who wants a boost to their general health. The suggested goals are:

EAT 10 PORTIONS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY

(if you don't usually eat much fruit and veg I would build up gradually or you could upset your digestion)

DO (AT LEAST) 10 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY

(can be yoga, stretching or something more energetic. The plan is that the idea of doing 10 minutes is not too daunting, and having started you may well find you want to do more)

There are no restrictions on what you eat so long as you get your 10 fruit and veg as well. The focus is not on weight loss but on improving our energy levels and hopefully our general mood and well-being.

Sign up below and post here to tell us how you're getting on and how you are feeling.

Oh aviatrix

There is a nasty bug going around here as well - I am just praying ds hasn't got it as he has diarrhoea this morning, but he seems well enough, and it is easing off.

I sent the book on Friday btw - hope it arrives soon to give you some succour (get dp to read bits out in an encouraging voice if available?)

Tatties is it another nickname for Zachary or does it not say?

Papillon I am going to ignore that

Franny, the Zooey in this book is female. Only been mentioned a few times so far though so not sure if it's a nickname. I hope your ds is ok too.

Hello all - I know I am taking this a bit too literally, but we are having parsnip soup tonight. Done quite well so far, am getting into it now!
Aviatrix - hope you are feeling better soon.
Franny - I play centre court or goal defense, so this means I am ensured a good run around! It is actually quite competetive, lots of teams of 18 year olds in those deeply unattractive lycra all in one dresses taking on us old timers in our gym skirts.

Well I have had to eat fruit secretly in the kitchen when ds is not looking, today, as I didn't want to encourage him to eat anything too fibrous until his stomach settled down. We are having pizza for dinner - home made with plenty of veg in the sauce but no extra veg on the side.

I have got lots of nice vegetables for dipping so will try to make up for it tomorrow if he is well enough to go to nursery

Ds is still fine and happy but not fit to go far from a toilet

I hope you continue to get some rest, aviatrix

Glad you're feeling a bit better Aviatrix. But Franny is right, make sure you continue to rest!

At least your ds is happy Franny - it's awful when they're ill and miserable isn't it? Hope he gets better soon.

Got lots of veg to use up so think I'll bung it all in a soup tonight.

I retired to bed at 8pm after very little food and no Pilates yesterdey as I felt really grotty and could not face eating anything.

So i think it'll be squash soup tonight and an easy day though I'm supposed to be going to see 'Children of Men' tonight at the Riverfont in Newport.

Have probably picked up grotty feeling from little ones I look after, not ill enough to not come to me but not 100% either. I hate this time of year for all the bugs and viruses!! and lots of hugs and kisses sread germs.
Back on track with 10 mins exercise as soon as feeling better, but will definately have 10 veggies and fruit.

Hello can I join this thread? I am feeling lousy, very tired and low energy levels and want to give myself a boost pre-christmas (and also have a Significant Birthday coming up).

I am quite good at eating veg but not so good with fruit so my aim is to increase that hugely.

I have just cooked up some tomato and lentil soup for lunch and a veggie shepherds pie stacked with veg for supper. Have also eaten a plate of veg and hummous (am always ravenous after dropping kids at school and nursery so quite pleased I kept away from the toast).

Anybody that hs sore throats should gargle onion water... boil one onion in about a cup of water then add some oil. Helps remove toxins from mouth and throat. Also sleeping with a chopped up onion helps you breath.

Well I feel right knackered atm... had a chakra activating, chi loading, spiritual energy clearing treatment this morning. Feel like I have been run over by a bus! Pity onion water does not help in this case

Just about to eat a Persimon.

ST - Tatties posted a recipe for pumpkin curry which you might be interested in.. not sure if its this thread cannot see it here. Will look it up for you.

Hi Puddle Welcome

StrangeTown here is the recipe that tatties posted

Nigel Slater's Smashing Pumpkin

You can use pumpkin or butternut squash - I have only tried it with squash.

Ingredients

2 med onions
3 tbsp groundnut oil
large lump of ginger, about 60g
3 small, v hot chillies
3 stalks lemongrass
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
800g tomatoes
400ml veg stock (or water)
1.5kg pumpkin/butternut squash
250ml coconut milk
juice of plump lime
small handful of coriander & mint leaves

Method

• Roughly chop onions and cook in the oil in a deep saucepan until soft but uncoloured.

• While they soften, peel the ginger & shred the flesh into fine matchsticks; seed & finely chop the chillies; peel lemongrass & very finely slice the soft inner core.

• Add ginger, chillies & lemongrass to onions and cook for 5 mins. Stir in turmeric, cumin & coriander.

• Roughly chop tomatoes and add to onions. Let them soften 5-7 mins, stirring, then add the stock. Bring to boil then down to gentle simmer.

• Peel pumpkin/squash, scrape out seeds & fibres, cut flesh into large 4-5cm chunks. Season, add to pot and simmer for 20-25 mins, checking for tenderness.

• Stir in coconut milk gently so as not to smash the squash, and cook for a couple of minutes.

• Check seasoning, stir in lime juice, coriander & mint. Serve with rice.

Welcome puddle

It's great that you have decided to join us although I am not sure if we are a perfect advert for healthy eating atm (think how much worse we would be if we didn't eat all this f + v though ).

Hoping aviatrix, Earthy and Paps are all feeling better soon. Paps your onion remedies sound revolting! Even if I can imagine them being rather effective. What did your treatment involve? It sounds awesome.

Ds is still perky but I rang NHS direct this morning and they advised giving dioralyte to aid keeping him hydrated. Does anyone know what it has in it? He is thrilled at the thought of having a special drink, of course. We're planning to venture out this afternoon to get some, plus more supplies of f + v (we get through quite a lot when stuck in the house all day)

Thanks for the welcome! I think it's the time of year for horrid bugs - back to school and it's not cold enough - we need a frost.

I am also trying to wean myself of my nightly glass of wine and have just invested in apple and ginger teabags (my favourite) for this purpose. Am already on my third mug though .

Well you would think it should taste revolting, but the amber coloured boiled onion water is rather attractive and the taste neutral. My mother swears by it, I had avoided it, but after a bout of sore throatville I decided to take the plunge and my throat is 100% better and my tastebuds unoffended.

lol Puddle at your attempts to not drink at night... now you drink tea all day!! As long as its unfermented apple and ginger tea

This is abit about what the energy worker did Franny... The energy work was a gentle therapy which re-establishes harmony with yourself and the environment. Age-old fears, Traumas, karma, negative thoughts and much more besides can be dissolved. The way to more love and larger consciousness becomes free, so that our true, soul can come even to the expression. She does mirror-image-ritual work / heart work to clear blockages.

The treatment I had was a very lanquid affair, involving me lying on a futon and trying not to fall asleep! She twirled crystals, yawned alot and told me she was aligning my astral, mental, emotional, spiritual realms. Something must of happened, almost blacked out in the hall before glad its raining so I can laze around... babes in bed so I am going to put my feet up now.

Papillon, I'm glad you can relax...I must admit to complete scepticism about these things, but have to say if it works, then I don't knock it. I once went for spiritual healing feeling quite sceptical, and like you, got such a strong sensation from it I nearly fainted. I went back several times and was intrigued by the different experiences I got from different healers - sometimes a feeling of heat, sometimes vibration....very interesting.

I have an acquaintance who does Journey Therapy, which was a new one on me - have you ever come across that?

Welcome Puddle! I was also thinking that I may cut out alcohol altogether. Not that I drink much - one or two glasses of wine a week maybe, but I'm just not enjoying it any more. I always think, oooh I'll have a nice glass of wine, then I don't enjoy it and it makes me feel crap.

For everyone suffering atm, has anyone tried Hazer Baba Turkish Apple Tea? I used to work in a health food shop where they sold it, and someone who came in swore that once they started drinking it, they never had a cold all winter! No personal experience of it though, but it might be worth a try?

Paps did you try the pumpkin curry? What did you think?

Franny I don't know what's in that Dioralyte stuff. Will he have extra bf?

OK, the 'natural' and the blackcurrant Dioralyte both have saccharin in....the citrus has aspartame

He is sipping a blackcurrant one atm but I don't think he is going to drink more than a few mls of it

Tatties he probably would, but we normally stick to just naptime b/f. He is drinking a good amount of water and doesn't seem 'ill' - but I know children can get dehydrated quite quickly with an upset stomach so I thought the Dioralyte was a good precaution.

Sorry to hijack the thread so much! I suppose it is at least health-related

I think I have done a fair amount of hijacking myself. It's what we're here for though isn't it?

It's good that ds seems ok and is drinking water. Does he have an appetite? FWIW I would be doing the same as you.

Oh, Tatties don´t slay me but I have not tried the pumpkin curry. The roadside sellers of pumpkins seems to all but have dried up... will have to resort to buying one cut up from the supermarket... but they are the more stringy version.

I promise to let you know when I make it... and I am sure it will be wonderful

That Dioralyte, I tried it with dd and she said yucky. Franny he sounds like he is getting fluids and doing quite well.

Have not heard of Journey therapy - is that like visualisation? I had some very strong visualisations today. I should not hijack too much myself but just another thing about the treatment today. Our energy, soul is something that has mass and so can be worked with - because it is not obvious to the naked eye it gets discounted as not real.

Ds said yucky as well and only drank about a quarter of the glass. He is eating almost as normal, Tatties - like a horse, in other words. Had a lot of tears before bedtime as I think tiredness and illness caught up with him at last. Luckily for me this was the point at which dp came home and I went out to the gym

Paps there is a website with a little about Journey Therapy here . I was just curious to find out more about it and thought you might know. It sounds more or less like a rather New Age counselling session which focuses on a particular issue / problem in your life. I think visualisation is a big part of it, yes.

How is everyone getting on today? I had apple, pear, soya milk and raisins for breakfast, cucumber, carrot, celery, tomatoes and red pepper for lunch, some broccoli with dinner, and just ate 2 satsumas and an apple. I reckon that's 10 or thereabouts.

Oh cross posts aviatrix - good to hear you are on the mend - good luck at work tomorrow - and you do you really mean to tell us that dp has gone to sit at a bar reading a book called "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler"? Excellent

I have done ok - have had an apple, two satsumas, plate of veg and hummous, red lentil and tomato soup and a big plate of green lentil bolognaise with some pasta and steamed broccoli for supper.

Feeling good this evening and will be making myself an apple tea in a min - actually no desire for my customary evening glass of wine at all which is great.

Dioralyte is vile - reminds me of the stuff you have to drink to treat cystitis. Glad your little fellow is feeling better Franny.

Puddle, you have done brilliantly and a very respectable 2 or 3 portions of fruit there. There was some discussion on another thread about fruit v veg ratio anyway - I think we concluded we were meant to be eating more veg than fruit, something I struggle with.