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RECIPE 🌶 Sweet Potato & Butter Bean Curry 🌶 . . ❤ Its that time of year when the days are colder, the mornings and evenings are darker, and all you want in the evening is to feel cosy and comfortable. That's how I feel anyway! So recently as I sat down to decide what recipes I wanted to cook for dinner for the week, I decided to revisit an old favourite of mine - my Sweet Potato and Chickpea Coconut Curry. This recipe uses the same spices with veggies and beans different this time around. I absolutely love butter beans, so I've given them centre stage in this recipe! . . ❤Recipe (Serves 4) ❤Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 1 garlic clove, finely minced 1 red onion 1 tsp of ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, turmeric and coriander 1/2 tsp mild chili powder 1 large sweet potato 1 400g can of butter beans 1 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes 1 400ml can of low fat coconut milk 1 red bell pepper 1 courgette . . ❤Method: 👉Finely dice the onions and garlic clove, and chop the sweet potato, courgette and red pepper into bite-sized pieces (for the sweet potato, aim for 1-inch chunks). Wash your veggies too! 👉Place the spices into a little bowl and give a stir to combine well. 👉Time to start cooking! Heat the cooking oil in a medium-sized pot until melted, then add your onions and minced garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. 👉Next, add your spices to the onions, and cook until the onions are coated. 👉Add the chopped red pepper and courgette and stir again. 👉Add the tinned chopped tomatoes and coconut milk to the pot. Stir until combined. 👉Add the chopped sweet potato and stir again. The liquid level of the curry should be high enough to cover the sweet potato, because it will cook in the sauce. Add extra water to bring up the liquid level if you think it’s too low. 👉Drain and rinse the tin of butter beans, and add them the curry. 👉Turn the heat down to a simmer, and leave to cook for about 20-25minutes until the sweet potato is soft. Check on the curry frequently, stirring every few mins! Then serve up! . . ❤ Enjoy gang! Tag me if you try it out! Happy Sunday! #theirishbalance #recipeoftheday #veggierecipes
Saturday Thoughts ☝️ . . ❤ This week, #worldmentalhealthweek , it was absolutely amazing to see so many people sharing awesome and honest mental health posts and content. It reminded me of one of the biggest positives of social media - the sharing of accessible, helpful, relatable information, to audiences that might not have been reached without it. The use of these apps, Instagram in particular because of the demographic using it, to open up conversations about topics that are stigmatised and taboo in society - prime example being mental health. . . ❤ As someone who runs a social media platform, a blog & a Podcast, creating health-related content takes time, energy, passion and to be honest, a nature that cares. And I do care - that's why I give the time I do to producing and sharing posts, articles & Podcasts here & elsewhere that (I hope) provide evidence-based, accessible, useful, actionable information to help those consuming my content understand and look after their health better. 👉 And many healthcare professionals I love to follow here do the exact same - I learn from them every day! . . ❤ That said, social media fatigue is REAL. Whether you're a content creator or using it casually, I've noticed a lot of people getting a bit sick of social media. Of how much time is spent in the world of these apps, of how content produced doesn't always reach as many as we'd like, and definitely of the pervasive myths & misinformation that is REALLY hard to dispel. . . ❤ BUT. This week reminded me that what we share here can and does add value. And it reinforced my drive to keep sharing the best content I can. Remember, in your life off and online, act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. . . ❤ Happy Saturday. #theirishbalance #weekend #saturday #quoteoftheday #yesyoucan
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 🌍🌍🌍 . . 👩‍⚕️ Today, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day - the theme for this year is Suicide Prevention. Suicide is a leading cause of death here & globally, particularly for young persons. Women are more likely to attempt suicide & engage in self-harm attempts - however, men are more likely to succeed in their attempt & die by suicide, and men under 35 years old are particularly at risk. (HSE, 2011). . . 👩‍⚕️ Earlier this week I posted about an every day way that we can promote positive mental health for each other - by asking 'How are you?' We ask this question probably several times a day, but more often than not we give a quick 'I'm grand/fine/all good' reply. And maybe we are grand. But maybe we're not, and it should be welcomed, not stigmatised, if someone opens up about how they really are. . . 👩‍⚕️ Both major and minor life events can challenge our mental health - from every day mini-stresses to major trauma. Some of us will overlap in those experiences, and some will differ massively. But what we all have in common is the ability to TALK about how these experiences affect our mental health. Talking to a peer, family member, friend or healthcare professional can be an incredibly powerful first step, and often opens the door to seeking help if needed. . . 👩‍⚕️ Personally, I wouldn't have gotten through the big and small things that have challenged my mental health over the years. Everything from work stress to breakups and loss to other big life changes like I've had this year - all were made so much easier by feeling able to openly talk about these experiences. Even (and especially) when I don't want to. . . 👩‍⚕️ So today, take time to talk. Connect. Ask 'How are you, really?' There is no shame, only strength, in seeking help. There are many resources in Ireland you can access if you are struggling with your mental health (besides family/close friends) - your GP is a fantastic first port of call 👩‍⚕️ In addition - Samaritans, Pieta House, Childline and Aware all have free phone lines & websites to help. . #theirishbalance #worldmentalhealthday #mentalhealthmatters #worldmentalhealthweek #mentalhealth
Influenza - Get the Vaccine, Not the Flu!👩‍⚕️ . . 👩‍⚕️ A brand new article by me, all about FLU Season & the Seasonal Flu Vaccine is now UP on the Educational Hub on the Food Medic website 🙌 Thank you Hazel @thefoodmedic for having me as a contributor to your awesome website! Excited for edited articles to come 😊 . . 👩‍⚕️ The article tells you what the flu IS, who is recommended in Ireland & the UK to get the flu vaccine, WHY the flu vaccine is so important, and it also busts some common flu vaccine myths! . . 👩‍⚕️ Swipe up to have a read via my stories, or hit the link on my bio! 🤩 Happy Hump Day gang! #theirishbalance #flu #thefoodmedic #fluvaccine #vaccineswork #vaccinessavelives #preventionisbetterthancure
FLU VACCINE MYTH BUSTING 👩‍⚕️ . . 🙋‍♀️ Influenza (ie flu!) season began last week with the arrival of October & will continue until April 2020 for the Northern Hemisphere. Certain groups of the population in Ireland are advised to get the flu vaccine because they are at increased risk of getting the flu & for some, its complications 👉 Healthcare workers & carers, adults age 65+, adults & children age 6mo+ with certain chronic health conditions, residents of nursing homes/long-stay facilities & people working with poultry/pigs/water fowl! . . 👩‍⚕️Now 👉 let's bust some common vaccine myths! . 🤧Myth #1: Can I get the flu from the seasonal flu vaccine? . 👉Absolutely not. The viral strains in the seasonal flu vaccine are inactivated (ie killed ie dead) during manufacturing - so its physiologically impossible to 'get' the flu from it! Uncommon vaccine side effects include local reactions (eg a bit of redness/swelling where you got the vaccine) & even less commonly, some may experience symptoms of your body's immune system making flu-fighting proteins (antibodies) like general aches, mild fever, feeling a bit meh - which lasts 1-2 days & is NOT the flu. An anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine is extremely rare (less than 1 in 1 million). . . 🤧Myth #2: Does the vaccine protect me against the flu? . 👉The vaccine is our best chance of protection against seasonal flu - plus protection for your patients if you work in healthcare/have family members in at risk groups! This year's flu shot protects against FOUR STRAINS of flu 👌 It takes approximately TWO WEEKS to be fully effective so getting vaccinated as early in the season as possible is key! . . 🤧Myth #3: Is the vaccine safe in pregnancy? . 👉Yes! The seasonal flu vaccine is recommended at all stages of pregnancy, for every pregnancy & flu season. Influenza is associated with a greater risk of complications for pregnant women due to physiological changes to the body during pregnancy & flu in pregnancy increases risks of preterm birth & reduced foetal growth. Plus, getting vaccinated during pregnancy gives passive immunity to her baby for the first 6 months of life! . . 👩‍⚕️ #theirishbalance #flu #fluvaccine
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH WEEK 2019 🌍 Begins today! 🙋‍♀️ . . 👩‍⚕️When we talk about mental health, many people think of the names of specific conditions - depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and more. Increasingly, people talk about 'stress' and 'feeling stressed' in the context of their day to day mental health. . . 👩‍⚕️What we don't talk about enough is how our day to day actions and experiences affect our mental health, for better or for worse. Having positive mental health isn't like a light switch, suddenly one day on and then next, off. It's a spectrum. Just like our physical health is, and they are very much intertwined. And yet, the stigma that surrounds conversations about mental health does not exist for physical health. . . 👩‍⚕️We don't blame a person who develops diabetes, or heart disease, or pneumonia - nor do we expect them to fix themselves. Mental health should be treated with the very same level of compassion, if not more so. There is also often stigma around the use of medication for mental health disorders - but we don't think twice about someone using medication for high blood pressure or cholesterol. . . 👩‍⚕️ As was pointed out to me earlier this year - it is okay not to be okay, of course it is, but how do we know what 'Not Okay' looks like for each individual if we don't share our mental health experiences and journeys, and open up that conversation? 🤷‍♀️ . . 👩‍⚕️The events & experiences that challenge our mental health might be different for everyone, & some might overlap. For me, talking to & connecting with family & close friends, coupled with regular exercise (walks, yoga, weights for me), have always helped keep & bring my mental health back towards the positive end of the spectrum. . . 👩‍⚕️So this week, ask - 'How are you - no, really, how are you feeling?' Take the time to listen & hear the answer. Family, friends, work colleagues - ask, answer, be open-minded, open up the conversation & challenge mental health stigma! #theirishbalance #mentalhealth #worldmentalheathweek #mentalhealthmatters #yourmentalhealth

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