The Link Between Nature & Happiness
It took me a long time to understand what helped me when I feel depressed, sometimes nothing helps and I just have to wait for the darkness to pass but sometimes making myself do certain things really lifts my mood. One of those things is being outside, whether that’s going for a walk with my dogs or sitting in the garden looking at the trees, flowers & wildlife it definitely reduces my feelings of anxiety and depression. I thought this could just be because I feel more able to breathe and less claustrophobic but actually there is some real science behind why nature makes you happy.
There’s a beautiful link between the human body and the earth. Practises that are good for the earth are actually amazing for your body too – eating pesticide free food, buying organic produce, eating more greens than meat, wearing less makeup, walking instead of driving, drinking from a glass instead of a plastic bottle/cup, etc. Look after our planet and you look after your body also, talk about a double whammy!
The relationship between our mind and nature is just as strong. Nature is necessary to maintain our happiness levels and many studies show nature can lift your mood, decrease feelings of stress and increase feelings of joy. Rumination is the negative thought process in the brain, it’s responsible for all this times you overthink a situation, when you can’t see the positives, when you get stressed and it can contribute towards depression over time. Spending more time with nature reduces the effects of rumination and therefore makes you feel calmer, more positive and happier.
Being outside also means you’re soaking up some mood-enhancing vitamin D! Vitamin D, also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, plays a major role in helping to keep your bones and teeth healthy but did you know that low levels of vitamin D can cause depressive symptoms and a low mood? Vitamin D receptors have been found in parts of the brain, it’s not quite clear how the vitamin effects the brain but one theory is that it affects how the chemicals in your brain work and when vitamin D increases the amount of good chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy increase. It’s very common to have depression if you have vitamin D deficiency…so get outside and soak up those rays!
By 2050 it’s estimated 70% of the worlds population will live in cities (currently over 50% of people do), and when nature is this important to maintain human happiness it’s no wonder mental health issues are on the rise. If you live in a town or city try and make time for nature, there’s bound to be a park, some woodland or fields close to you and spending 90 minutes there is proven to massively reduce rumination in the brain (i.e. you’ll feel happier!).
Spending time with nature will also increase your energy levels and boost overall-wellbeing so what are you waiting for?! Get outside!
Nature is wonderful, we need to be embracing it more. Care for it as it cares for you, practice gratitude through action and both your body & the earth will reward you.
Healthy Cinnamon Banana Bread
This banana bread recipe is probably my favourite healthy sweet treat that I make and the recipe I’m most proud of. I’ve tried a few gluten free & vegan banana bread recipes before but they either end up being expensive to make or don’t turn out the way I’d hoped, this cinnamon banana bread is a different story….the ingredients are inexpensive, it’s easy to make and turns out perfectly every time.
The texture of the banana bread is spot on; it’s perfectly moist yet nice and firm (so there’s no falling apart when you cut it!), the balance between the sweetness of the banana and the spices of cinnamon & nutmeg is truly mouth-watering and the hint of vanilla brings the deliciousness level up even more. With every bite this banana bread gets tastier and tastier, the juicy sultanas and crunchy flaked almonds give the loaf great texture and it’s even more heavenly topped with almond butter.
As well as tasting unbelievably heavenly this banana bread only contains plant-based, natural ingredients so yes, it’s actually good for you! I used buckwheat flour (a natural, gluten free flour) and ground almonds mixed with flaxseed ‘egg’s which help hold this loaf together so well. Then there’s obviously the ripe bananas (you want to make sure they’re super ripe with little black spots on the skin) that sweeten the bread up so much you could get away with not adding a sweetener, although I do like to add a little maple syrup! The other ingredients are coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and sultanas….see, told you there was nothing bad hidden in there.
Plant Based Iron & Why It’s Important
I know a lot of people are hesitant about starting a plant-based lifestyle because they fear they’ll miss out on essential nutrients, one of those being iron. Do I get enough iron on my plant based diet? Hell yeah I do! Iron is actually found in a huge range of vegan sources and it’s not a challenge to get exactly what you need.
What Is Iron & Why Is It Important?
Iron is an essential mineral that we need to maintain a healthy, happy body. It’s main job is to carry oxygen around our body and without it our body struggles to do this, red blood cells decrease in number & size and our organs, tissues and digestive system can’t work as well as they normally would. So clearly iron is extremely important and making sure we get enough of this mineral is vital.
Plant-based iron sources are found everywhere and studies have actually shown that vegans consume as much iron as omnivores too, sometimes even more! This could be due to the fact vegans tend to get more vitamin C through their diet than meat-eaters and vitamin C boosts iron absorption dramatically.
What Are The Best Plant-Based Iron Sources?
It’s recommend women (aged 14-50) need 15-18mg iron a day (women over 50 need 8mg) and men should be getting 8-11mg daily. Easy peasy!
80g Chickpeas = 2.4mg Iron
75g Lentils (cooked) = 6.6mg Iron
40g Cashews = 2mg Iron
90g Spinach = 3.2mg Iron
90g Kidney beans = 2.2mg Iron
2 Tbsp Tahini = 2.7mg Iron
1 large potato = 3.2mg Iron
50g Raw cacao powder = 3.7mg Iron (yessss raw chocolate!)
90g Quinoa (cooked) = 1.4mg Iron
170g Broccoli = 1.1mg Iron
150g Peas = 2.5mg Iron
50g Oats = 1.9mg Iron
If you had porridge for breakfast with almond milk, raisins and nuts then a lentil soup for lunch, hummus and carrot sticks as a snack and a curry with broccoli, spinach and chickpeas accompanied by quinoa for dinner you’re smashing your iron needs for the day!
Can I Still Be Iron Deficient On A Plant-Based Diet?
Whether you’re on a plant based diet or not it’s always possible to be iron deficient or anaemic, especially if you suffer with coeliac disease or any condition that causes stomach or bowl inflammation. If you’re worried about your iron levels you can see your doctor who will run blood tests. To boost your iron levels even more make sure you’re eating foods high in vitamin C like red pepper, oranges, kiwi, cauliflower, broccoli and strawberries.
I know iron intake is a big concern for people before they transition to a plant-based diet, so I hope this helped you see it’s actually not something you even have to think about if you’re eating a wide range of delicious, fresh, wholesome foods.
Raw Cacao & Almond Butter Cups
I used to love Reese’s peanut butter cups, the chocolatey outside and the smooth peanut butter filling was amazing but they’d leave me feeling guilty and sluggish, my skin would suffer and I’d feel generally yucky after consuming just one. After switching to this amazing plant-based lifestyle I rarely enjoy making healthy versions of popular sweet treats and this has to be one of my favourite creations to date. These raw cacao & almond butter cups are a nutritious twist on the peanut butter cups found in your local shop, they’re completely natural, refined sugar free, vegan and unprocessed but they taste absolutely heavenly!
Raw cacao is the unprocessed cocoa bean, it’s packed with magnesium and bursting with anti-oxidants. My almond butter cups also contain wonderful healthy fats from the almond butter and coconut oil to help your hair shine and your skin glow!
I love how easy this recipe is, how few ingredients there are and how little washing up is required afterwards…total win. These raw cacao and almond butter cup are such a mouth-watering sweet treat, and I just know you’re going to love them as much as I do.
Blackberry Chia Seed Jam
What’s more simple and delicious than a piece of yummy toast with sweet, fruity jam?
It’s always been one of my go-to comfort breakfasts or a snack on a cold day. The combination of crunchy, organic toast with fresh jam is so satisifying and it makes my tummy feel super happy.
Unfortunately shop-bought jams are loaded with nasties such as sugar, preservatives, artificial ingredients or pectin so they aren’t good for our body. The good news is making your own healthy jam is so super easy and tastes even more delicious than anything you could buy from the local shop!
The jam texture is created by the wonderful chia seeds which soak up liquid amazingly and create an amazing gelling power, it’s pretty cool! The sweetness comes from the berries, as well as the pure maple syrup that I decided to add which creates the most rich sweetness and isn’t bad for us if we make sure to use the pure, raw version that’s 100% natural. Then you’ve got the added zestiness of the lemon juice which also acts as a preservative.
As well as tasting super delicious this jam is packed full of goodness! Blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits which means they help reverse damage done in our body, protect us and even slow down signs of ageing. Blackberries are also packed full of vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
Chia seeds are a well known super food and their popularity is growing and growing, unsurprisingly really as these tiny little seeds pack in so much nutritional power. Chia seeds are the highest plant based source of omega-3 fatty acids – essential for keeping your heart healthy, lowing blood pressure and reducing your risk of heart disease, omega-3 is also great for the brain and a wonderful ‘happy food’. They’re also brimming with fibre, protein and iron which is all going to help eliminate toxins from the body, boost your metabolism, keep your skin glowing and your hair healthy.
You can get 10% off my favourite superfoods at Creative Nature by using the code AMELIA10 at checkout!
So now you see, sweet yummy jam can be healthy! I love to spread my blackberry jam on organic millet or buckwheat bread from biona, dollop some on top of my porridge or enjoy with a brown rice cake.
Christmas Pudding Energy Balls
Christmas, we all love it, but for those of us who’d like to be a little healthier over the festive period it can be tricky – especially if you’re avoiding gluten, animal products and sugar!
I decided to come up with a few Christmas recipes to make this time of year still so exciting because of the yummy food and to make my tummy happy. I’ve got a few coming your way over the next 2 weeks, but I’m starting with these yummy Mini Christmas Pudding Energy Bites!
Energy bites are my go-to healthy snack, they’re super easy to make, last a long time in the fridge, are incredibly tasty and give you that boost of nutrients & energy that you need.
These energy bites are made using almonds and cashews, which’ll give you a good amount of protein and healthy fats, then you’ve got the medjool dates, raisins and dried cranberries that make them super sweet and of course the all important spices and zest that help to create the wonderful Christmas pudding taste that is so delicious.
The icing is what makes these energy bites even more interesting and indulgent, but being made out of all natural ingredients you know you’re getting so much goodness with every bite. I used my favourite sweetener, the Date Nectar from BelovedDates, which is 100% pure date nectar – nothing artificial hiding in there!
I hope you have fun making these festive treats, and enjoy every mouth-watering bite!