Algarrobina Syrup and Pitahaya

Quick post guys .. ! I had a few questionnings on two products lately.. I was wondering what Algarrobina syrup was called in English and the benefits of Pitahaya (or, Dragon Fruit). I mentioned Pitahaya on a previous post and felt silly for not having even looked up what it was good for apart from its taste and just assuming it was nutritious.. Thought it could interest you as well! So, Algarrobina syrup is extract from black carob tree (in Spanish, from the algarrobo). I mentioned it here & on my Instagram (LUSINHA_) as I use it as a natural sweetener when I make smoothies or juices. It has a sweet and strong taste which I like a lot. It’s nothing like honey, it’s a lot darker and it can be quite thicker. I think it can be assimilated to molasses yet I’m not quite sure if that’s the right definition for “chancaca” syrup. Algarrobina syrup can be used in a variety of ways: as a topping on cakes or fruit salads, to replace chocolate in recipes (still to try that out!) and you can also have it in a cocktail named.. Algarrobina (Pisco Egg Nog)! I found out it was actually considered a superfood as it contains iron, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and potassium along with vitamin A, B1, B2 and D.. all that!  Had I know before I would have used it a lot more I think. Now on to Pitahaya.. I don’t know what it is about this fruit but it fascinates me! It’s probably its cactus-like looks and it’s prickly pears’ similarities in taste without the seeds. Although it is one of the priciest fruits here in Lima, after my first try, I’m definitely going back to it specially NOW I know what its benefits are! It appears to have major impact on oxidative stress and aortic stiffness in people suffering from diabetes (I’m not diabetic but have a tendency towards it because of family precedents). It’s an excellent food thus to prevent disorders due to diabetes but also to reduce risks of developing or suffering from heart diseases and hypertension. On top of that, this extremely exotic fruit is a great source of antioxidants (one more to the variety!). Therefore, a regular consumption of Pitahaya reduces the proliferation of free radicals in our body that are responsible for the appearance of cancerous tumors and other serious illnesses. Its tiny seeds contain Omega 3 fatty type which are ideal for treating certain autoimmune diseases and to prevent the occurrence of certain cancers related to hormonal changes , such as breast , colon and prostate. See? ALL-OF-THAT ! But wait.. there’s more, this fruit certainly is full of surprises ;)

Besides all the above , dragon fruit is excellent for quick digestion and to detox the body. Ideally, it should be consumed on an empty stomach in the morning, it will help you free your body of toxins and also receive all the nutrients needed for optimal development of your body. Also, it is composed mostly of fiber, which provides a satiety effect ; as well as fewer calories. Follow up, there's more coming! Enjoy & Share your thoughts :) L.

A couple of thoughts and food share

Folks, 

 

I’ve been trying to revamp my weekly meals and snacks. The web is so full of inspirations but I find it hard sometimes to take the times to cook and prepare things after work. I’ll be posting some of my trials and discoveries to share them with you :)

 

Here’s a snap of one of the juices I made recently:

 

I love the color and the taste was as fabulous! It was a first for me using Pitahaya and mixing it with small bananas, ice, a bit of milk and sugar. I’m trying to avoid using sugar and replace it with all natural honey or algarrobina syrup but I didn’t have any of the latter anymore and didn’t feel like honey would be a good match on this one so I played it safe.

Pitahaya has a similar taste to prickly pears which I like a lot but I never made a juice of them because of the seeds, I found a replacement now! It’s so refreshing and I haven’t read about it much yet but I’m sure it’s full of good things for your body ;) It just feels awesome.

 

 

On a not so healthy note (I’m trying, I swear!!) Here’s a tart, or quiche, I made with lean bacon stripes, courgette, cherry tomatoes and well, the usual cream and eggs:

I hadn’t made one in a while, so I thought it’d be nice as I was having co-workers over for drinks. They know quiche here but I don’t find it that good and prefer to make my own. It was well acclaimed ! Next time, I’ll try to alter a bit the recipe, using half the amount of cream and replacing the other half with skimmed milk while also adding more vegetables.

 

I try to use only organic products but it’s still complicated to find a large variety here; or they can be too expensive like almond milk for example because they’re imported; or again, the market I go to is only on weekends, so if I miss it , I have to wait until the following weekend for some new products. The Bioferia market is resourceful enough, at least I can get most vegg, not so many fruits though, but also, eggs, yogurt, cheese and milk as well as tasty dark chocolate and sacha inchi. If you’re around Lima, I’d definitely recommend you to go on Saturdays at the Reducto park or on Sundays at the Surquillo market.

 

Just to be clear, I am by no means doing a diet and you will not only find very healthy and 0-carb food on this blog. I’m trying to change my daily routines, that means incorporating healthier options but there will still be ‘regular’ food exposed. I love good food and come from the South of France where a lot of the gastronomy is far from being healthy. Still they are part of me and my culture, same with pastries ! I’ll also comment on restaurants and different places visited, ‘Taking a Healthy Turn’ won’t refer to just healthy food but it’ll also refer to a healthy state of mind and body care. You know, changing thoughts on oneself like feeling guilty for the cake and cream eaten earlier, that’s a no go! The idea is to limit that kind of habit while embracing yourself ;) Hope I got the idea down right.

 

Here in Peru, I had the idea everything was a lot more healthy but it’s not! They incorporate a lot of rice and potato (often both in a same dish) and it feels very heavy, that’s probably why I never cook either. I know already I’ll be having both at least a couple of times during the week when I get my lunch from the lady at the cafeteria. 

That said.. I still managed to make a cake out of.. Sweet POTATO!! And it was damn good.. Geez I can't with so much food!

On the other side the variety of fruits here is awesome! I love going to the market in Magdalena del Mar, it’s very big and you can finds all sorts of things. I’ll probably do on a post on it !

 

Enjoy & Share your thoughts!

 

L.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - A health problem that affects 1/10 women

Dear all,

I was telling you briefly in my first post about some health issues that made me more conscious of my current lifestyle and on getting back to a healthier lifestyle. I’d like to tell you more about it on this post. What I’ve been diagnosed with is Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), I’m going tell you more about it, not to freak you out (as I did!) but to inform more women and girls about that health problem that can affect us. I think there’s really a lack of information on this and I wish I had known more about it before so I could diagnose it earlier and take on better care for myself.

I’ve only come across the exact term recently, when an endocrinologist (on gynecologist’s referral after finding polycysts in my ovaries) explained to me what was happening in my body.

I had been told I had polycysts in my ovaries at a previous moment, probably over a year ago and I was given a birth control pill for it but the gynecologist that I went to at that time dismissed me very quickly and only said it was nothing to worry about, she hadn’t explained causes, consequences, or solutions and even though I was a bit worried, I didn’t look more into it. I probably should have, but I tried not to worry more and just followed the indication of taking the pill.

I stopped it about 6 months later as I didn’t like the idea of taking the pill and sort of “forgot” I had been taking it initially for the polycysts. I guess I thought they had dissolved or disappeared since I had been taking the pill properly and hadn’t been told to take it on a long term basis.

That’s when I started having big gaps between my periods again, acne and a greasy skin. I usually get my armpits, legs and bikini waxed and I realized I had to go every two weeks or less when I would usually only go one a month, my hair was regrowing quicker and it seemed thicker, I hated it! I also felt like I had mood swings and that I was a bit depressed. I thought these were the result of stress at work and being away from home (France or even just Europe as a whole at this point). I questioned myself on a lot of the decisions I had made, it was a bit of a mad circle to be honest and I felt very lonely even though I have a good and stable situation here in Peru. Ahhh The things that go through one’s mind, you can imagine! I felt so appalled by my appearance and I do feel like my waist has increased too on top of an extra 5kg!

Anyway..

During one of my other long gap between periods, I knew I wasn’t pregnant and I was reminded of my polycysts so I went to see a gynecologist, this time at a clinic. There the attention was a lot better and she redirected me to an endocrinologist, the kind of doctor specialized in hormones. I needed some blood test results first and then went to my appointment. The doctor was very clear in her explanation, as I listed some of the symptoms I felt I had, she completed it with others:

• Infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating. In fact, PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.

• Infrequent, absent, and/or irregular menstrual periods

• Hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um) — increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes

• Cysts on the ovaries

• Acne, oily skin, or dandruff

• Weight gain or obesity, usually with extra weight around the waist

• Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair

• Patches of skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs that are thick and dark brown or black

• Skin tags — excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area

• Pelvic pain

• Anxiety or depression

• Sleep apnea — when breathing stops for short periods of time while asleep

I think infertility as a symptom or as a result is what frightens me most. I’m nothing close to having kids and all of that but the idea of maybe not being able is what initially made me freak out most. I guess some sort of maternity instinct undercover just hit me.

She also told me how I should lower my intake of sugar, improve my daily diet and do more exercise. There’s no real “solution” to the problem, but changing one’s lifestyle is a big part in improving one’s condition. Women’s Health website is very complete on everything around PCOS and I’d like to recommend you their website (link below).

I won’t be mentioning much more about PCOS on the blog, I feel the link from Women’s Health is very complete and I know it helped me a good bit in understanding even more what it is. I hope it helps you too, if you feel like getting in touch to discuss more, I’d be happy to do so. I haven’t share much on this with anyone in my entourage, probably just with 1 or 2 close friends, I felt I needed to put it down and maybe this way I’d virtually meet other women who are going through the same. I want the blog to cover mainly my journey through a better and healthier lifestyle mainly but there will be other subjects too of course JJ

Feel free to comment your experience and how you’ve changed your daily routines!

Follow up, there’s more coming ;)

Enjoy & Share

L.

Source: http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/polycystic-ovary-syndrome.html 

Welcome!

Here I go again..! Entering the blogoshpere once more and this time with a new and different objective: Healthy Lifestyle

I'll take you on board with me as I try to transit onto a healthier lifestyle.. There are various reasons to that, actually I used to think that I had a healthy enough lifestyle but some health issues made me realize how slowly I had been abandoning my good “behaviors”. So here’s to getting them back, acquiring new and good habits & learning a lot more about myself, my body and what our world has to offer !

Just so you know who you’re dealing with, a few lines on me:

I’m 26, I’ve been raised in France and I’ve been living in Lima (Peru) for close to 3 years now. I’ve always been attracted to Peru, probably because my mom is Peruvian and because of how I used to identify myself a lot with the Latino community over the summers I spent in NYC. I was in love with anything to do with Latin American, its art, music, literature, people, and food. I’d always look more into things with Latin American origin and looked for new things to promote out in my dear Southern France. I always tried to understand this song or this other protest movement and was on top with all political changes, I fell a bit out of that too, certainly due to my work hours, my growing into an adult and a need to focus on more “serious” things. But I’m done with that, I want to go back to my real self through a healthy journey for my mind and body!

Follow up, there’s more coming ;)

Enjoy & Share

L.