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NEW PODCAST EPISODE 🥰 YOGA For YOU 🧘‍♀️ Link in my bio to the latest addition to The Irish Balance Podcast 🙌 A discussion about how we can bring the benefits of Yoga into our lives in an accessible way with Ruth Delahunty, yoga teacher, graphic designer, mom of three, friend of mine + creator of @yogaru_ireland ! . . 🧘‍♀️ I gave yoga a second chance at the start of 2018, when I was still convinced it was 'too slow, just a load of stretching' + it was (besides walking + light weights) the only activity I could do due to an injury. I found a couple of amazing teachers + studios I loved, tried a LOT of yoga flows on YouTube, + found Ruth's yoga sequences later into my yogi journey - I've been hooked using them ever since. . . 🧘‍♀️ I came to yoga thinking it would be something I could do to help myself while rehabbing an injury - and it was, but I gained so much more beyond that + continue to. I found the mental health promoting + stress busting aspects of it the most valuable for me, far beyond any physical benefit. I found new friends + an entire yoga community in Dublin + beyond 🥰 It became an activity to do with friends too👌 . . 🧘‍♀️ This Podcast episode isn't about saying you HAVE to do yoga. Instead, I wanted to break down some myths + confusion about what yoga IS, how you can give it a try whether at home or in a class, + ultimately remove some of the fear/anxiety people might have (just like gym intimidation) about trying it. You 100% cannot be 'bad' at yoga, nor is there any end goal with it. As Ruth says, it's like a comfort you can always come back to. . . 🧘‍♀️ I hope you guys enjoy this episode, do let us know if you tune in! Happy Sunday gang - I am indeed off to a yoga class myself 😂 And Happy Father's Day to a the dads with us - past, present + future. I 100% wouldn't be half the balance I preach without mine ❤ #TheIrishBalance #Yoga #YogaJourney #TheIrishBalancePodcast #YogaForYou
STRAWBERRY BANANA BITES 🍌🍓🍌🍓 RECIPE OF THE WEEK right here for you guys 👉 Keep reading + hit save to give these a go 🥰 . . 🍓 Recipe (Makes 12 Squares) . . 🍓 Ingredients: 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp melted coconut oil, 2 whole eggs, 2 large ripe bananas , 1/3 cup of honey (you can sub maple syrup here if you prefer), 10 strawberries ,150g oats, blended into flour (I use Flahavan’s), 50g oats, unblended, 50g of raw pecans, roughly chopped . . 🍓Method: 👉Pre-heat the oven to 200C (fan oven). Line a square (if not exactly square that’s fine!) baking tin with grease-proof paper or spray with cooking spray. The baking tin should be about 1 inch (ish) deep. 👉De-leaf the strawberries and slice them lengthways (see how mine are sliced in the photo). You'll be using some to put in the batter and some for topping. . . 👉Take a large mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients – oats, oat flour, cinnamon and chopped pecans. 👉Using a power blender (I use my Nutri-bullet) or a food processor, blend the bananas, eggs, honey and melted coconut oil. 👉Create a small well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and pour in the blended wet mixture. Grab a large spoon, and stir until you have a batter-tastic texture, ensuring all the dry ingredients are well-combined with the wet. . . 👉Add most of the strawberries to the batter - save 12 slices for topping (see the photo) - and fold them in so they're combined into it. 👉Pour the batter into your lined baking tin. 👉Smooth down the batter evenly. Take your remaining strawberry slices and place them on top of the batter. . . 👉Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. 👉Stick a tooth-pick in at the 30 minutes. It should come out mostly clean! 👉Remove from the oven and allow the squares to cool for 20 minutes before tucking in!👉 Store in a sealed tupper-ware and they should keep for up to 5 days! Or freeze them if you’re batch-baking. . . 🍓 Tag me if you try these bites out! I froze a big batch last weekend - snacks sorted over the last week! 🙋‍♀️ Happy Saturday gang - hello weekend 🥰 #TheIrishBalance #Banana #Strawberry #HealthySnacks #RecipeOfTheDay #RecipeShare #RecipeIdeas
Sit Less - Move More 🤸‍♀️ Let's Talk Sedentary Behaviour 👩‍⚕️ . . 🙋‍♀️ This week's Friday Focus article is all about why we need to Move More + Sit Less - link in my bio to read! Why is this an important topic? You may have seen media taglines along the lines of 'Is sitting the new smoking?' and wondered what the heck THAT was all about 🤦‍♀️ . . 🙋‍♀️ Sedentary behaviour defined as any waking behaviour characterized by an energy expenditure of 1.5 METs or less while in a sitting, reclining or lying posture. METs stands for metabolic equivalents, a measure of activity - for example, 1 MET is the energy it takes to sit quietly, while a brisk walk uses anywhere from 3 to 6 METs. . . 🙋‍♀️ Sedentary behaviour is NOT the same as physical activity. For example, I could be doing 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity aerobic activity by brisk walking each week (i.e. meeting part of our national exercise guidelines). BUT I might also have a high volume of sedentary behaviour (high = 8 or more hours, low = 4 or less). Does that matter for my health? . . 🙋‍♀️ The British Heart Foundation reviewed the evidence to date on this topic in 2012 (link on my blog) + said we know enough to say sedentary behaviour is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes + possible adverse effects on our mental health. BUT compared to the extensive research we have on the damaging health effects of smoking, it's far less data - so its inaccurate + a big leap to showcase 'sitting is the new smoking' headline. . . 🙋‍♀️ What do we do? Well, we should - be physically active every day, throughout our day. Break up long periods of sitting time - trying a 5-10 minute break every hour you sit! And focus on movement that YOU enjoy, because we know that's what you are mors likely to stick to for life. Consistency is a LOT more important than intensity. . . 🙋‍♀️ Lots more info on the above in this week's article on the blog, plus a look at the evidence for standing desks - if you have a read let me know! Happy Friday ❤ #TheIrishBalance #NewBlogPost #PhysicalActivity #GetActive #HealthyLifestyle
A Reminder 🙋‍♀️ . . 🍀No matter what seemingly perfect posts you scroll through on your feed, how together everyone's shizz seems to be - we all have chapters we don't read out loud. Books are not best judged by covers 🙌 . . 🍀 Give yourself a break. Work to be accepting of you, and if it's your goal, to be a better you, and only you. Not a better version of you based on what fills your Instagram feed.If we were all the same it would be TOTALLY BORING 😂 And remember, perfection doesn't actually exist - its subjective, a flawed concept, and what matters most is both progress, + our ability to embrace + celebrate our imperfections. ALL of them. . . 🍀 Quiet time for me on this for a day or 2 as I take 24 hours to get my thesis finished, printed + bound before my holidays on Monday. I'm on @thisisiradio tonight chatting about Sedentary Behaviour + tomorrow's Friday Focus will be on the same topic! Tune in to listen on radio if outside or online in + outside Dublin between 9 and 9.30 🙌 Happy Thursday 💫 #theirishbalance #youdoyou #yougotthis #yesyoucan #thursdaythoughts
I Made Potato GNOCCHI 🥰 This post is a little bit different to my usual - but this was such a fun + different foodie experience for me that I decided to share it 🙋‍♀️ . . 🍀 Yesterday I received a gorgeous gift from Dunboyne Castle Hotel + Spa @dunboynecastle via @elevatepr - a kit to inspire me to try my hand at Irish Heritage Potato Gnocchi! ❤ Chef Ian Daly + the team at the IVY restaurant created this dish using season local produce - Ballymakenny Heritage potatoes, Ard Mhacha shiitake mushrooms + basil pesto from the hotel itself! . . 🍀 My first thought - I can't do this 😂 Then I thought - well, I'm gonna try! Also - how amazing are these purple Ballymakenny Farm Heritage potatoes! The first photo is my attempt at the finished product - Irish Heritage Potato Gnocchi with Shiitake Mushrooms, Basil + Rocket 🥰 After a not too hot first attempt the second + third worked out 😊 And it got a thumbs up from my food critics in the fam too 😂 . . 🍀 I may be a health + food blogger as well as a doctor, but I'm not a chef - however, new kitchen experiences like this one remind me how fun it is to try something different + challenge your skills! . . 🍀 Happy #humpday folks! Hope you have yourselves a lovely Wednesday ❤ And FYI: this was a #gifted delivery but this isn't a #spon or #ad post, I just really enjoyed the experience + wanted to share it! Thank you to the teams at Elevate + Dunboyne Castle Hotel + Spa for sending me the gift 😊 #TheIrishBalance #FoodBlogger #IrishBlogger #Gnocchi #PotatoGnocchi #Healthyfood #SupportLocal #EatSeasonal
Is Anyone Else Feeling A Bit Sick Of Social Media? 🙋‍♀️ If so, keep reading - this isn't a moany post I promise 😂 . . 🍀 In a week, I head away on my first holiday in over a year, + I'm very grateful for that. This, plus recent books, conversations + podcasts have got the topic of social media, the good + bad sides, front + centre of my brain. . . 🍀 Social media has brought me so many positives - people, community, friendship, a platform to reach you guys + hopefully inspire you to add health to your life in a sustainable accessible way. Online connection fostering offline benefits ❤ . . 🍀BUT. The downsides still bother me - despite the controls I've put in place for my own use. For example, I've made it a huge focus to only share what I feel adds value to you guys following, + to share more of my journey to balance too. I've reduced its intrusion on my personal + work life by turning off all notifications, I don't scroll (genuinely, not in over a year), + I put the phone out of sight out of mind when working on college assignments/thesis or indeed at work, past + future. As a doctor, when your day job is so involving + requires your focus, attention + presence, social media just doesn't really enter your mind, not is it appropriate usually unless you're on a lunch or coffee break or coming from/going home. . . 🍀 BUT. Despite these controls, I'm still human. I get 'the urge' - to check. You know what I mean. Picking your phone up, seeing likes/comments/messages, then thinking 'Did I really need to do that?' I've noticed the degree to which social media pulls my attention, focus + presence. This is what bothers me the most. . . 🍀 SO. I don't have it all figured out. But these are my #tuesdaythoughts with the conclusions that I'm going to keep working on being better with my use. On holidays for the coming 2 weeks, I will be aiming to use social media once a day. A digital minimalist - of sorts. Aiming for more LIFE - more PRESENCE - and as always, more BALANCE. 🙋‍♀️ #theirishbalance #socialmedia #digitalminimalism #digitaldetox

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