Healthy Sight, Healthy Licence

Posted on by SBSS

Don’t lose your licence because of poor sight

It’s great to hear today that police forces are starting to check the eyesight of all drivers they stop and have powers to revoke their licence immediately if they can’t read a number plate at the requisite 20m (that’s about 5 car lengths if you’re as bad as me at estimating distance!).
Not before time – the Association of Optometrists called last year for compulsory eye tests every 10 years. And a recent DVLA survey found that half of us aren’t really aware of the minimum eyesight requirements for driving and certainly don’t regularly check that we meet it. I know I haven’t had an eye test for years …until last week.
But with an increasingly ageing population and conditions like type 2 diabetes on the rise which can impair eyesight, it’s something we need to be aware of. Very conservative estimates suggest that between 2 and 3% of us don’t meet the minimum vision standards for driving and that over 5,000 people had their licenses revoked in 2011 as a result.

Poor vision increases accidents

There are few studies categorically proving that poor vision increases accidents as it is rarely checked at the scene. But it’s just common sense.
The problem is, that eyesight is only assessed at the initial driving test…and there are no formal ongoing checks over the many decades of driving that follow. And yet, night-time vision is worse as we get older, our response time in reaction to glare gets slower and all sorts of other eye conditions can creep up causing a deterioration in eyesight. If it’s a sudden change, we may notice it…gradual changes are less easy to detect.
A 20m number plate reading check is all well and good but doesn’t test for night-time glare issues, reduced field of vision or other eye problems…so our advice would be a 2 yearly formal eye check as a minimum. Not only could it reduce your risk of accidents but you may benefit from fewer headaches, less fatigue and much more too.
At  Vavista Insurance, we are keen to keep our customers as healthy and as safe on the roads as possible. So, you may want to check out your eyesight for a quick and easy health win.

Slow Cooker Mixed Bean Chilli

Posted on by Vavista

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 150ml/5fl oz hot vegetable stock (made with 1 stock cube)
  • 2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
  • 2 x 400g/14oz cans black beans or red kidney beans (or a mixture), rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring frequently.
  2. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and cook for a further minute.
  3. Transfer to the slow cooker. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, drained beans, tomatoes and dried oregano. Stir well then cover with the lid and cook on low for 8–10 hours, or until the sauce is thick and the spices have mellowed. Serve hot.
Recipe courtesy of BBC

What are the benefits of yoga?

Posted on by SBSS
Yoga may not be the first thing many of us think of when we want to improve our health, weight or wellbeing. It has a reputation for being alternative or too gentle to have any significant impact.
But think again. More and more science is showing that it can offer many benefits. So, what are the benefits of Yoga?

Improves your core strength

Yoga is famous for strengthening your core muscles. This supports the bones and ligaments of your spine and improves posture. Yoga can be a valuable tool in helping lower back pain. Of course, if you have back pain, make sure your yoga teacher is aware, so you don’t do anymore damage. A qualified teacher can tailor your yoga regime to suit you.

what are the benefits of yoga? - woman rolling out a yoga mat, with bare feet and leggings on.

Helps with depression

Mindfulness is a word you may have heard a lot lately. Yoga is a great way to practice mindfulness. This is because you need to concentrate on getting your body in the correct position and you can’t think of much else. Studies have shown yoga to be beneficial in managing depressive symptoms.

Leads to better breathing

A large component of yoga is a focus on good breathing techniques. Breathing exercises in yoga help improve the strength and flexibility of the chest muscles. They also improve the alignment of the ribs and spine. It can also help improve symptoms in patients with mild to moderate asthma, along with improving the functioning of their lungs. [1]

Is good for your heart health

If you have a heart condition, yoga can help to deal with stress and in turn, your condition. The breathing exercises bring more oxygen into the body and reduce blood pressure. A study named ‘a review of yoga and cardiovascular disease’ states yoga may help lower heart disease risk as much as brisk walking. [2]

Can stabilise cortisol

Cortisol is a hormone related with chronic stress. Too much puts you at risk of developing diabetes and adds to the risk of heart disease. Several studies have shown that yoga can reduce stress levels, and with it the cortisol.

Why choose yoga over more vigorous exercise?

You may think that the more high intensity exercise you do, the better, when it comes to getting fit. But actually, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that a mix of exercise is best. Resistance and strength exercises like yoga, help preserve muscle and flexibility.
 
So, whether you are starting out or hitting the gym for an hour a day, it’s worth giving yoga a try after all.

Check out this link for a list of yoga lessons you can do from the safety of your own home!

If you would like to read more about wellbeing, then try our blog on dealing with stress.

  1. Does Yoga Improve Breathing? An In-Depth Breakdown (Must Read) (yogaveler.com)
  2. Yoga and how it can benefit you – BHF

Ken Hom’s Braised Spicy Aubergines

Posted on by Vavista

Ingredients

Garnish

  • 2 tbsp green spring onion tops, chopped

Method

  1. Trim and cut the aubergines into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes. Sprinkle the cubes with salt and leave them in a sieve to drain for 20 minutes. Then rinse them under cold running water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
  2. Heat a wok or large frying-pan over high heat until it is hot. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic, ginger and spring onions and stir-fry them for 30 seconds, then add the aubergines and continue to stir-fry for 1 minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the heat down and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the aubergine is tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Return the heat to high and continue to stir until the liquid has been reduced and has thickened slightly. Turn the mixture onto a serving dish and garnish with the chopped spring onions tops.
Recipe courtesy of Lee Kum Kee 

Egg-cellent Recipes!

Posted on by SBSS

Eggs Florentine Pizza

Shock, horror – a pizza on a healthy eating website…surely not?  Pizzas are actually a well-balanced meal: the base provides starchy carbohydrates for energy. the tomato sauce counts towards your 5-a-day and the mozzarella is a low-fat source of calcium and protein.  The test really is having the willpower to just stick to half a pizza!  Make a green side salad to fill up your plate so that you don’t go reaching for more.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 thin pizza base (shop bought or homemade)

4 tbsp passata

6 large basil leaves, chopped

1 tsp dried or fresh oregano

60g buffalo mozzarella, sliced thinly

175g fresh spinach, washed

8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved

4 medium eggs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C. Place your pizza base onto grease-proof paper ready to be prepped.  Make your tomato sauce: Mix together passata, basil, oregano and 1 tsp good quality extra virgin olive oil. Spread your mixture evenly over the pizza base.  Place the mozzarella onto the pizza in an even layer followed by the cherry tomatoes.  Next wilt your spinach on the hob in 1 cm simmering water, covered with a lid. Alternatively place in a microwaveable bowl covered with pierced cling film and pop in the microwave for 2 minutes on full-heat.  Layer your cooked, drained spinach over the pizza. Bake the pizza for 10 minutes.  Finally, take the pizza out of the oven, make 4 wells in the spinach with the back of a spoon and crack the eggs in.  Pop back into the oven and leave for another 6-8 minutes until the egg whites are just set.  Serve with a leafy green side salad.  Be creative with your veggie toppings – try adding mushrooms, sweetcorn or roasted red peppers.

Devilled eggs

Looking for a themed snack? Take everyone back with this retro, high protein and tasty addition to the table.

Ingredients

12 large eggs, hard-boiled

6 tsp Dijon mustard

6 tsp lemon juice

3 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

Method

Shell the hard boiled eggs.  Cut each egg in half, length-ways.  Carefully scoop the egg-yolk out of the egg and place in a bowl.  Mix chives, mustard and lemon juice thoroughly into the egg yolk.  Carefully spoon the yolk-mixture back into the egg-whites  Place egg halves yolk-up onto a plate, cover and store in the fridge until ready to be eaten.  Cumin, paprika and olive oil mixed with the yolks  also makes a great filling.

3 delicious Indian recipes, that are guilt-free (and gluten-free!)

Posted on by SBSS

Did you know Coeliac Disease affects 1 in 100 people in the UK?

Here at Vavista HQ, we’re big fans of new ways to enjoy food in a healthy and nutritious way. So when we saw these delicious recipes from author, journalist and blogger Mira Manek, we couldn’t resist sharing them with you!

Her recipes promote health and wellbeing, with a kick of spice. And they’re all guilt-free and gluten-free too – so coeliac or not, everyone can tuck in!

Cauliflower Rice with Coconut and Cumin

I am constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to reinvent and interpret classic dishes but with my own healthy and Indian touch. This dish is exactly that, taking a classic favourite, being rice and substituting it for the paleo diet inspired method of using shredded cauliflower to make the rice. Cauliflower is a great alternative to rice as it still retains a similar taste and texture without the carbs. It’s the fragrant and nourishing blend of herbs and spices coupled with the coconut flakes that gives this dish a  traditional Indian touch.

Ingredients:

– 1 cauliflower, shredded / very finely chopped
– 1 tablespoon coconut oil
– 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
– 1 tablespoon ginger, garlic, chilli paste or just freshly chopped ginger
– 10 curry leaves
– ½ teaspoon turmeric
– ½ teaspoon coriander powder, optional
– ½ teaspoon cumin powder, optional
– 2-3 tablespoons coconut flakes
– handful coriander

Recipe:

Start by finely grating the cauliflower with a chees grater or by using a food processor if you have one until it looks like rice. This is your gluten-free rice!

Place the oil and cumin seeds in a pan on low heat and wait until the cumin is brown. Now add the ginger, garlic and chilli paste, or alternatively grate some fresh ginger. You can always forgo the garlic and chilli – if you prefer things less spicy. Now add the curry leaves and then the chopped cauliflower. Stir for a minute before adding the turmeric, coriander and cumin powders as well as the coconut flakes. Pop in the coriander leaves, mix thoroughly for another minute and serve with a sprinkle of coconut flakes.

Indian Salad

Ingredients:

For the salad:
– 120g kale
– 220g cabbage
– 100g dates, chopped
– 30 pistachios, chopped
– 10 large strawberries, sliced lengthways

Coriander and Cashew Dressing:
– 30g coriander
– 80g cashews
– Juice of ½ lime
– 80g natural yoghurt
– ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
– ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
– 50ml coconut water
– 3 tablespoons oil (rice bran oil or other)
– ½ green chilli (optional)

Sweet Potato Topping:
– 1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
– 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
– 1 tablespoon white/ black sesame seeds
– 100g grated sweet potato
– ¼ teaspoon salt
– 2 tablespoons coconut flakes

Recipe: 

Chop the kale and cabbage very finely. Place in a large mixing bowl. Blend together all the ingredients for the dressing in a high speed blender and leave to one side. Add the chopped pistachios, dates and strawberries to the salad and stir in the dressing. To make the sweet potato topping, heat the rapeseed oil and cumin seeds on low heat. Once the cumin seeds are brown, add the sesame seeds and then quickly add the grated sweet potato. Stir for a few minutes and add coconut flakes and salt while stirring. Place the sweet potato on the salad and serve.

Spiced grilled vegetables with tahini yoghurt

A rich, zesty and flavourful sauce can entirely transform vegetables and this sauce has done exactly that, but instead of using oil and cream, I’ve created a tahini and yoghurt base. This is the ultimate vegetarian barbeque dish, light yet hearty and with a touch of Indian flavour. The tandoori paste added to the sauce is an authentic and aromatic blend of spices, tamarind, ginger and garlic, what really gives this dish its fullness of flavour. You can use Tandoori Paste or Tandoori Spice Marinade from the Patak’s brand of sauces. This dish can be served as an entree, either in small dishes or on skewers, or as a main, possibly with a helping of brown rice.

This is the ultimate vegetarian barbeque dish with a deliciously rich and hearty sauce, adding an lightly spiced Indian flavour to the vegetables and tofu. This can be served as an entree on skewers, or as a main dish, possibly with a helping of brown rice.

Ingredients:

Serves 2-4

Vegetables:
– ½ broccoli
– 1 pack medium to firm tofu (349g pack)
– 1 small pack sugar snaps and baby corn (200g)
– ½ red / yellow bell pepper

For the sauce:
– 5 tablespoons yoghurt
– 2 tablespoons tahini
– 1½ teaspoons tandoori sauce
– ½ teaspoon turmeric
– ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
– juice of ½ lime
– ¼ teaspoon salt

For garnishing:
– ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
– 1 teaspoon white and/ or black sesame seeds

Recipe:

Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce. Cut the tofu into large cube or rectangular pieces and leave to dry on a few kitchen towels for 10 minutes or longer. Now chop the vegetables into small pieces.

Heat the tofu on a pan on low heat, so that it becomes more firm and doesn’t break when mixing. Add a little sauce onto each of the pieces and turn so the tofu is grilled on both sides. While the tofu is cooking, add the vegetables into the sauce and mix together thoroughly. There should be enough sauce to cover all the vegetables and if it seems a little dry, then just add a little more yoghurt and tahini.

Taste the sauce and add a little more tandoori sauce if required. Once the tofu is a little cooked (10-15 minutes), add the pieces into the bowl of vegetables and mix gently. Be careful not to break the tofu pieces.

Now lay the vegetables and tofu on the baking tray and grill for around 15-20 minutes and turn the vegetables a few times. In a small pan, lightly toast the cumin and sesame seeds for five minutes and add as a garnishing on the vegetables and tofu before you serve.

For more recipes and information on Mira visit https://miramanek.com/  – https://www.instagram.com/miramanek/ 

Delicious Lamb Recipes to Try

Posted on by SBSS
Try these delicious, healthy lamb recipes from registered dietitian, Sophie Claessens

Lamb skewers with sun-dried tomato cous cous

This is a great recipe to get the kids involved in – they’ll love building their own skewers. Be careful of the spikes though! Lamb is a great source of iron and B vitamins, important for energy, and the recipe contains 2 of your 5-a-day (or more if you use more veggies on your skewers).

Serves 4 (1 skewer each for the kids and 2 each for the adults)

Ingredients:

For the skewers:
400g diced leg of lamb
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp harissa
24 cherry tomatoes
6 skewers (soaked in water for 30 mins if wooden)
For the cous cous:
100g couscous
400g tin chickpeas, drained
300ml hot vegetable stock (only ½ stock cube needed)
½ bunch spring onions, chopped
6 sundried tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

Ensure wooden skewers have been soaked in water for 30 minutes to prevent catching fire on the hob. Start by adding the spices and 1 tbsp olive oil to the lamb and mixing through thoroughly – the longer you leave to marinate, the better.
Skewer a piece of lamb, followed by a cherry tomato onto each skewer until you have about 4 pieces of lamb and 4 cherry tomatoes on each skewer. Set aside on a plate.
Place a griddle pan on a medium heat and add the rest of the olive oil. Whilst waiting for the pan to warm through, add the vegetable stock and sun-dried tomatoes to the cous cous in a bowl, cover and leave to soak for 5 minutes.
Once your pan is hot, place your skewers on, cooking for about 5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Whilst cooking your skewers, check the cous cous after 5 minutes and fluff with a fork once all water has been absorbed. Mix through the chickpeas, spring onions and coriander, cover and put on the table ready to be served.
Once the skewers are cooked through, you’re ready to enjoy! Serve each plate with some cous cous and skewers. Add a side salad to finish off if you’d like.
Remember – the more veg the better. Swap the cherry tomatoes for peppers or courgettes or try a mix.

Leftover lamb flatbreads

If you’re wondering what to do with your leftover lamb this Easter, make a tasty flatbread for your first day back at work and all your colleagues will be jealous! The lamb is a good source of protein and the wholemeal flatbread is a low glycaemic index carbohydrate, meaning that they’ll both keep you full all afternoon so you won’t be reaching for the usual mid-afternoon chocolate pick-me-up. Add plenty of leafy salad and you’ve got yourself a gourmet, healthy, delicious lunch.
Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 plain, wholemeal flatbread or tortilla wrap
2 tbsp yoghurt-style dip
Large handful leafy salad
1 small carrot, grated
75g leftover lamb (chunks or slices)
Sprinkling of smoked paprika

Method:

Place your flatbread or tortilla wrap onto a board. Spread evenly with the yoghurt dip and then layer the carrot, salad and lamb on top.
Roll up your flatbread, wrap in foil and store in the fridge (maximum 24hrs) until ready to tuck in. Easy peasy!

Top 3: healthy jacket potato filling ideas

Posted on by SBSS

Are you partial to a lunchtime jacket potato, but not sure how to make it healthier?  Look no further…

We’re looking at some healthy jacket potato inspiration.  As much as we love a hot steaming spud, they often come with a side-order of creamy fillings or piled high with baked beans (full of hidden sugar) and lashings of melted butter and cheese…, not the healthiest lunchtime option.

However, we’re huge fans of the humble spud here,  as overall, they’re a good option, packed with vitamin C.  A medium potato (150g) with the skin provides 27mg, almost half of the recommended daily intake, for example. Interestingly, their moniker as a ‘comfort food’ may actually be based in science as potatoes are exceedingly rich in Vitamin B6, a substance needed for cellular renewal, a healthy nervous system and a balanced, happy mood.  Indeed, 100g of baked potato contains 21% of the daily value of the vitamin.  Additionally, keeping the skin on your spud will deliver you 12% of your of your recommended daily fibre.

Adding a protein-based filling will mean the carbohydrate in the potato is broken down more slowly, making you feel fuller and energised for longer. Or why not try baking a sweet potato instead? The same comforting, warming lunch but with less of an effect on your blood sugar levels.

Our 3 favourite fillings:

Chickpeas are a great, filling source of plant protein. Try this tasty, quick hummus recipe:

Ingredients:

200g/7oz canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt
100ml tahini (sesame seed paste) optional
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Simply add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend on a medium speed until a smooth consistency. Taste and add more lemon juice, garlic, salt or cumin if needed. If it is too thick, add another tbsp of water.

Nothing beats a slow-cooked chilli – made with beef or Quorn as you prefer. It’s the perfect dish to make in a big batch and freeze in portions to eat later.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 heaped tsp of hot, or 1 level tbsp mild chilli powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
500g lean minced beef (or Quorn equivalent)
400ml stock (beef or vegetable)
400g can chopped tomatoes
2-3 squares of 70% dark chocolate
2 tbsp tomato purée
410g can red kidney beans
2 large carrots, grated

Method:

Heat the oil and add onion – stir until soft and translucent.

Add in the garlic, red pepper, carrot and all the spices – stirring occasionally for 5 mins.

Add in the beef or Quorn – the pan should be hot enough to add colour to the meat. Stir until all the beef has broken up and browned.

Now add in the liquids – your stock, tomatoes and a squirt of tomato paste.

Give everything a good stir and once brought to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 20 mins. Check and stir occasionally to ensure it hasn’t stuck to the bottom of the pan. If it is drying out add another tbsp or so of water.

Finally, drain and rinse your beans. Add them in and bring back to the boil, then bubble gently for 10 minutes. At this stage, add the secret ingredient – good quality, dark chocolate. It will give a rich depth to the flavour to compliment the spices and richness of the meat.

To intensify your flavours, leave to stand with the lid on for 10-15 minutes – it’s hard to resist but worth the wait!

A healthy-twist on a tuna mayo filling – this smoked trout pâté has a delicious added kick from the horseradish!

Ingredients:

120g Greek yoghurt
1 tsp creamed horseradish **check the label for hidden sugars!**
zest and juice ½ lemon
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
2 smoked trout fillets

Method:

Using a fork, mix together the Greek yoghurt before adding horseradish and lemon juice in a bowl until combined. Flake in the trout fillets, into bite size pieces. Depending on the size of your fillets you may need an additional tbsp of yoghurt. Lastly, stir through the dill and serve!

We hope this has given you some much needed inspiration.  For more delicious meal ideas, check out the recipe page on our blog.

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Quick Fix – smart swaps for a diet-free life!

Posted on by SBSS
The VavistaWellness ethos is all about ditching denial. As soon as you go on a conventional diet you are immediately faced with a list of foods you’re ‘not allowed’ to eat. Says who? It should be about taking back control of what you eat and when. By denying yourself something, the chances are it will make you want it more and, when you do eventually ‘cave in’, your feelings of guilt and failure will be worse.
We want you to feel confident that you have the knowledge and skills to regulate your own food choices in an intelligent, sensible way that you can stick to long-term. We now know that fad diets are not sustainable and don’t actually succeed in helping you lose weight, long-term. A major factor that dooms diets to failure, is the sense of denial we all feel when we can’t eat our favourite foods.
We believe in smart swaps rather than banning anything from your diet, so you can still eat crisps, pizza and chocolate but in smaller amounts, or using tweaked recipes, or more nutritious alternatives wherever possible. That way you never feel deprived of your favourite things, yet you get to ditch the calorie and fat-dense junk and nasty, chemical-laden convenience food.
Ditch denial – you can still eat food you love by making these savvy swaps to your food choices……

Swap potato crisps to kale crisps

Wash and dry one bag of prepped kale or use whole kale leaves.
Tear into large pieces, removing any very thick central stalks.
Scatter in one layer on a baking sheet.
Spritz or drizzle very lightly with olive oil (or use garlic or chilli oil).
Add a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper.
Cook at 190 degrees C for 7-10 mins until crisp, slightly coloured but not browned – watch closely as they can burn quickly and turn bitter.

Peel one large sweet potato per person and cut into wedges.
Lay out in one layer on a baking sheet.
Spritz with olive oil spray or drizzle very lightly.
Add a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper.
Optional: mixed herbs, chilli flakes, Cajun seasoning.
Cook at 150 degrees C for 45mins or until coloured and soft.

Swap chocolate bars to Nakd bars

Chocolate, mint chocolate or chocolate orange – there is no need to forgo a serious chocolatey hit when it comes to snacks. Furthermore, these are dairy, wheat and gluten free – so a great ‘sweet’ alternative for those with an intolerance or allergies. We’re hooked!
Cold-pressed to preserve nutrients and protein-packed to keep hunger at bay for longer, these healthy, no ‘nasties’ bars may be smaller than your average bar of chocolate but pack a tasty (and nutritious) punch, without the heavily processed sugars and preservatives found in conventional confectionery.

Swap usual biscuits to chocolate coated rice cakes

Rather than a quick hit of processed sugar from your morning biscuit, switch to a dark chocolate covered rice cake instead. Less sugar means you are less likely to have a sugar ‘crash’ and need a further snack later, while the dark chocolate has health-boosting properties, too.
If you made all of the changes we suggest above, and maintain them for a year, you could be almost a stone lighter…by doing nothing else. How easy is that?! Easy weight loss, without denial, dissatisfaction or desperate dashes to the late night supermarket when the cravings hit. Who misses crash diets? We certainly don’t!

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