For 4

3 tbsp olive oil

2 large Spanish onions, finely chopped

1 large green pepper, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250g paella (calasparra) rice

1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika

2 ñoras peppers (dried Spanish peppers), optional

600ml hot vegetable stock

500g spinach, washed & drained

4 fresh artichokes, tough green outer leaves removed, quartered with chokes removed or 200g frozen quartered artichoke hearts, defrosted

200g broad beans (defrosted if frozen)

In a 30-40 cm paella pan or frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium / low heat. Add the onions & peppers & cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft & starting to get caramelised. Add the garlic & cook for a further 5 minutes, then the artichokes for a further 5.

Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in a large pan with a splash of olive oil until it is just tender and put aside in a colander to drain. Also, cover the ñoras peppers in hot water until soft, then tear them up, discarding the seeds & stalks.

Add the rice to the paella pan and stir until all the grains are glossy with the oil, season with salt & pepper then add the paprika & ñoras peppers. Add the hot stock and broad beans & simmer for about 15 minutes – until there is just a thin layer of liquid around the rice – the rice should still be slightly al dente.

Sprinkle the spinach over the rice and push in with the back of a spoon, cover tightly with silver foil and leave to rest for 5 – 10 minutes. Serve with chunks of lemon.

For larger quantities, the ratio of stock to rice is twice the amount and a bit more of liquid to rice – it’s better to add liquid as required than try to reduce it at the end. If you can get hold of brown paella rice, you should use slightly less than double the amount of liquid.

It was a fantastic event – despite the early starts and late finishes – and Suzanne and Moira are looking forward to incorporating this latest knowledge into IHS courses.

Suzanne Laurie, IHS Director, Dr Liz Lipski, Institute for Functional Medicine and Moira Browne, IHS Academic Manager

This course includes one weekend of lectures plus comprehensive supported home study material (approx. 60 hrs) that equips students with an in-depth understanding of sports physiology and biochemistry with which one can begin addressing their own or client’s baseline health, before building on that with performance strategies.

The initial learning phase will explore basic sports biochemistry and physiology, a foundation of which is essential to understanding the main nutritional and lifestyle requirements for athletes. Learn about the common functional imbalances that plague athletes and can lead to stagnation in performance whilst developing the knowledge to correct these imbalances using nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle techniques with a view to improving underlying health (the key to better performance) with targeted nutrition and supplement protocol for improved performance and recovery.

A one-size-fits-all approach is never successful with athletes. Many sports nutrition courses focus on calorie input versus output. In this module you will, of course, cover the biochemistry of energy metabolism to ensure that your athlete has sufficient energy intake, but the focus is primarily on ensuring access to all the essential macro and micronutrients in the correct quantity, at the correct time for both underlying health as well as for performance. Discover how the timing of nutrient consumption is paramount to an athlete’s success in training for recovery and for event preparation.

Explore the differences in physiology and thus nutrient requirements between professional athletes, semi-professional athletes and fitness fanatics e.g. “Crossfitters”, natural bodybuilders etc, before learning how to tailor your sports nutrition program on the basis of the sports discipline and energy system used e.g. endurance sports, strength sports, team sports and so on. Find out how to tailor advice to specific event preparation e.g making weight for sports such as weightlifting, MMA and boxing.

Case studies will be used throughout the weekend and home study material to demonstrate the application of Functional Diagnostics Testing.

The weekend of lectures is the 8th & 9th June 2013. Course fees €355, discounts available for NTOI & FNTP members. Please contact the office for more information or to book your place 076 603 0746 or email info@instituteofhealthsciences.com

Everywhere you look dieting is big business, whether it be online, bookstores or magazines. The global diet industry is currently worth a staggering €55 billion per year and it shows no signs of slowing down as more and more of us try desperately to curb our weight.

We are bombarded on a daily basis with diets such as the maple syrup diet, grapefruit diet, gut buster diet, the eat and burn diet and so on. The one thing that all of these diets have in common is long term deprivation of foods we love to eat! Deprivation makes us want restricted food even more which is why most diets do not work long-term. It is this basic psychology that may explain the popularity of a relatively new approach to weight loss – intermittent fasting. The idea that you restrict calorie intake two days per week and for the rest of the week eat what you want while losing weight has been backed up by some interesting recent research.

This research hit the mainstream with a Horizon documentary on BBC with Dr. Michael Mosley. The programme followed the broadcaster on a weight loss journey during which he lost a stone in six weeks, as well as a reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase in HDL (good) cholesterol, reductions in blood glucose levels and, most importantly, Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (more on this later). For 2 days per week he reduced his calorie intake to 600 calories a day (500 for women) while on the other 5 days he consumed what he wanted. This approach is more commonly known as 5:2 fasting, one of the main pioneers of this being nutritionist Brad Pilon based on his research at the University of Guelph. He states that ‘dieting is a slow, inevitable march to failure. With intermittent fasting, if you stick to it for just 24 hours, you’ve won. Once you have done it three or four times, you know you’ll be able to do it again and again.

Sounds interesting so far – so how does it work?

One of the links between 5:2 fasting and longevity seems to be a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 and other growth factors keep our cells constantly active. You need adequate levels of IGF-1 and other growth factors when you are growing, but high levels later in life appear to lead to accelerated ageing. 5:2 fasting may lower levels of IGF-1 and also appears to switch on a number of DNA repair genes. The reason seems to be that when we run out of food our bodies change from “growth” to “repair” mode. Professor Valter Longo, the director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California agrees that reduced levels of IGF-1 slows down the production of new cells, diverting energy into repairing existing ones. He likens our normal pattern of eating ‘to driving a car all the time and not taking it for a service’. Intermittent fasting allows the body to go into repair mode. And how is this achieved? By eating less through intermittent fasting.

A 2007 clinical review looking at the effects of intermittent fasting in humans in terms of health outcomes concluded that, specifically, alternative day fasting may have a protective effect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Dr Michelle Harvie, a research dietician at the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre in Manchester completed research with British women at risk and concluded ‘those on the fast had improved insulin resistance and markers for oxidative stress and inflammation. One further study suggests that intermittent fasting can also improve mood as it appears to boost serotonin levels and Brain derived neurotrophic factor.

According to Patrick Holford, an advocator of intermittent fasting, ‘if your goal is to live long and be healthy it’s better to have lower IGF-1 levels, achieved by eating a more plant-based, less meat and dairy based diet. The key is to keep blood sugar levels stable, which means less insulin release. These are the key principles of a low GL diet’.

A word of caution, however, as most studies into intermittent fasting have been completed on mice. Much work remains to be done to understand this dietary strategy fully. If you are fasting, you may want to think about how fasting will impact on your life during your fasting days. You are likely to be very hungry and have less energy and this could affect your ability to function, in particular it may affect your ability to exercise which is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. Also, intermittent fasting may not be suitable for pregnant women and people with specific health conditions, such as diabetes or a history of eating disorders. If you are considering trying IF for yourself, it is wise to speak to your GP first to see if it is safe to do so.

Tips on how to approach the 5:2 Diet

How to Fast

• Pick 2 days in the week that would be suitable for fasting. Some people prefer to break up these 2 days within the week.
• Do not plan to do anything too strenuous on those days.
• Have your menu prepared for the fasting days so you are not tempted to eat over the 500 to 600 calorie allowance.
• Choose the best time for you to start. You might find 2pm on the first day to 2pm the next more tolerable as you will be asleep for a large chunk it. Others find it disrupts sleep so find the best way that works for you.

When to Eat

There is no research as yet that shows when the best time to eat is. Most individuals, however, tend to eat twice on the fasting day – morning and evening time.

Feed Days

In theory you can eat what you like on ‘feed’ days. However, according to research, most individuals ate on average only 10 to 15% more than their normal calorie intake the day after a fasting day. From a nutritional point of view it is not necessarily the best approach to eat processed, high sugar, hydrogenated rich foods on feed days. As mentioned previously a GL based diet is probably the best approach to long term health combined with intermittent fasting.

How to Stick to It

• Keep busy on the fasting days but do not over exert yourself.
• Have a purpose for completing the fast. Research shows individuals that do it for religious purposes or moral reasons tend to be more successful. So have a focus for doing it- reduce weight, reduce high cholesterol etc.
• Keep your goals short term ones. If you look too far ahead your chances of succeeding reduce.
• Reward system- if you succeed treat yourself to something you want.
• On fasting days you can drink herbal teas, coffee and tea in moderation and water.

1 day example menu

Breakfast

Banana and Walnut Yogurt Compote (150 cals)

1 medium banana

4-5 walnuts chopped

170g of 0% fat Greek yogurt

1 tsp of runny acacia honey

Lunch

Large vegetable salad with toasted sunflower seeds and vinaigrette dressing (150 cals)

Salad leaves

Sliced tomatoes & cucumber

Steamed peas

French beans

Asparagus & spring onions

Pinch of chilli

Chopped herbs

Handful of toasted sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon of vinaigrette dressing

Dinner

Roast fresh mackerel (200 cals, serves 2)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Sea salt and black pepper

2 large or 3-4 small mackerel

Salad to serve

Mix the oil, sherry vinegar and thyme in a bowl.

Spoon over the mackerel and cook in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with salad.

During this weekend we go right into the detail of what stress actually means from a physiological perspective at the cellular level. Using a holistic approach and the Functional Medicine model we will explore just what effect stress has on the body and mind and what clinical imbalances it may lead to. Having defined stress we can then start to look at what can be done to reduce, eliminate or counter it.

Interestingly, the body responds to mental, emotional and physical stress in a similar way! The bad news is that this stress can accumulate and become a major burden for the body to deal with. The good news is that stress can therefore be countered in a similar way and participants of this weekend will learn valuable information that they can use (and share) to help them deal with the extra burden placed on the body during times of stress.

Participants will receive a stress management handbook that will include useful information on how to counter the effects of stress using:

• Specific foods
• Nutrients

The weekend is also packed full of really useful and practical applications that can be used to reduce some of the many causes of stress. Many of the techniques are simple and easy to use and learn so that you can teach them to others, providing you with a skill-set that you can use on yourself or offer to your clients, family or friends.

A particular emphasis will be placed on the interconnectedness of the mind/body/mind. There is no longer any doubt that the mind and body are connected. Using this knowledge and our understanding of the affect of stress on the autonomic nervous system we will explore ways to influence the mind to restore balance to the body and also how to deliberately create changes in our breathing and physiology to calm the mind.

Other techniques covered in this module will teach you how to resolve negative emotions quickly and easily. Negative emotions can be a major source of stress for some people. Learning how to manage your emotions and how to release negative emotions from your past is considered by many as essential to a healthy and happy life.

Some of the stress reduction techniques taught during the weekend are:

• Breathing techniques
• Techniques to improve physiological awareness
• Self hypnosis
• EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique
• Time management
• Meditation

Cost for the weekend is €195 – special price of €150 for NTOI/IANT/FNTP members. Please ring 076 603 0746 or email info@instituteofhealthsciences.com for more information and to book your place

It is for this reason that  IHS are delighted to be able to announce an absolutely incredible deal. We are offering you the chance to attend a full day of a live NLP training absolutely free. We want to give you that all important first NLP experience at no cost and no risk to you.

We know what you might be thinking! There is no such thing as a free lunch and all that! In this case there really are no hidden charges, we are simply convinced that when you get a real taste of what NLP is about you will want to learn more. If you come along and enjoy the taster you can then ask us any questions you may have about furthering your training in NLP with us.

Why would you want to attend?

• As stated earlier this event is absolutely free to you. That alone should be a significant motivator for you.
• You will get that all important ‘experience’ of NLP in a live training that you just can’t get from any book or webinar.
• You will learn the foundations of NLP, the underlying models all of NLP is built on
• You will learn the NLP communication model, a profound model that explains how we think and operate
• You will learn about the ‘unconscious mind’, the part of us that is outside of our conscious awareness yet is responsible for very important things such as running your body, learning and habits.
• Discover the key to the mind body connection and use that discovery to take better charge of your life
• You will take part in exercises that will allow you to create rapport with others quickly and easily.
• You will learn that only 7% of your communication are in the words you use and then use that knowledge to transform your communication by developing skills to communicate effectively with the other 93% of your communication
• You will discover the ‘language’ of the brain and the only six things we can do inside our heads.
• Learn all about submodalities, the surprisingly simple way our minds encode experience
• Use the power of submodalities to change how we think and feel about anything.
• You will take part in in-class exercises that are designed to give you an undeniable experience of the practicality of NLP
• Get trained by a fully certified trainer of NLP who has trained with some of the biggest names in NLP including co-founder of NLP John Grinder and Master Trainers of NLP Michael Carroll and David Shephard.
• Learn all this in one day in a fun and relaxed manner

You will also receive clear and easy to read notes covering the material you will learn on the day. These are for you to keep and refer to after the taster. A section of your notes will even direct you to recommended resources such as books and websites to help you get started on your NLP journey should you decide to continue.

This taster day alone will give you a new understanding of how we think, how to communicate more effectively and you will even leave with your first NLP ‘change technique’ that will allow you to start incorporating what you have learned into your life and your practice.

Where and when?

The free NLP taster day will take place  in Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6 on Sunday the 13^th of January 2013 from 9am to 6pm.

Venue:

Education and Research Centre,

Our Lady’s Hospice,

Harold’s Cross,

Dublin 6

How do I sign up?

Places are limited and we expect a lot of interest so please book early. To book a place or express an interest in this fantastic offer please contact the office on 076 603 0746 or email info@instituteofhealthsciences.com

If you don’t take us up on this offer we cannot guarantee we will be running an entirely free event like this again in the future so act fast. If you do secure a seat we have no doubt you will thoroughly enjoy this unique day and we genuinely feel you will take a lot from the course that you can use for the rest of your life. Check your diary now, if you can attend this taster day on the 13^th of January consider it a late Christmas present from all of us at IHS to you!

Vegan Carrot Cake (egg & dairy free, can be made with spelt flour and low GL)

This is a very moist carrot cake that is delicious with a thick layer of melted dark chocolate spread on top.  Do not be put off by the long list of ingredients, it’s easy to make and the spices are nicely warming at this time of year.  The vinegar is necessary to make it rise but you cannot taste it once the cake is cooked.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of flour (spelt/wheat)

1 cup of sugar/raw coconut sugar

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup finely grated carrot

¾ cup water

½ cup sunflower oil

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 tablespoon vinegar

70g chopped walnuts (optional)

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl

Add the grated carrots and stir

Add the wet ingredients and mix

Pour into a lined 9 inch circular cake tin and cook at 175 celcius for 30 – 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  The cake tastes great with a dark chocolate topping and raspberries to decorate or can be left plain.  This mixture also makes deliciously moist muffins.

Puddle Cake (Egg & Dairy free Chocolate Cake)

This is an easy cake for children to make, so-called because it looks like you are making a puddle as you add the wet ingredients.  It is not always easy to remove from the tin so might not be the best choice if presentation is important.

Ingredients:

180g plain/spelt flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon bread soda

½ teaspoon salt

225g caster/coconut sugar

6 tablespoons of sunflower oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

200ml cold water

Method:

Sift the dry ingredients into bowl.

Measure the wet ingredients into a jug and mix.

Make 3 holes in the dry mixture and pour in the liquid mix.

Mix with a fork until well combined.

Pour into a lined tin, a deep 7 inch round or loaf tin works well or a spring-form tin as the cake is quite fragile once cooked.

Bake at 180 celcius for 35 minutes

Leave to cool before removing from the tin.

Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake (Gluten, dairy & egg free)

This recipe came from Sally and Heather at Positive Nutrition.  They made it for an IHS cookery class 2 years ago and it is still a firm favourite with everyone who tries it.  As it is raw, the nutrients in the ingredients are preserved, making it a healthy treat.

Ingredients:

Fudge Cake:

3 cups dry nuts (walnuts & hazelnuts work best)

2/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder or raw cacao

¼ teasp sea salt

1 cup pitted Medjool dates

Icing:

1/3 cup semi-soft pitted Medjool dates

¼ cup agave syrup

½ cup ripe avocado flesh (from about 1 medium avocado)

½ cup cocoa powder

Filling: ½ cup raspberries

To make the cake, combine the walnuts, cacao powder and salt in the food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed.

Avoid over-processing.

Add the dates and pulse until mixed well.

Line a loaf tin or other deep cake tin with cling film or baking parchment and press half of the mixture into the tin.

Then cover with another layer of cling film or baking parchment and press in other half of mixture.

Chill in fridge for 2 hours or overnight

To make the icing, combine the dates and agave syrup in the food processor and process until smooth.

Add the avocado and process until smooth.

Add the cacao powder and process until smooth.

To serve, remove top layer of base.

Ice the bottom layer with half of frosting and top with raspberries.

Carefully lift out of tin.

Stack the second layer on top and frost the top and side.

Serve immediately, or place in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.