PILATES BENEFICIAL FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The benefits of Pilates just keep expanding. The latest news on the street is that Pilates can be very helpful for people diagnosed with the inflammatory disease Multiple Sclerosis.

Mariska Breland, owner of the company Fuse Pilates and founder of the Fuse Pilates method, has just launched Pilates MS™ Teacher Training in the USA, currently in Washington D.C & San Diego. These specialised Pilates programs incorporate the most recent research into the disease. 

Mariska reveals that what drove her to launch Breland’s Pilates for MS™ is the fact that she has lived with the debilitating disease for more than 10 years. Breland informs that she "challenged her body to curb the debilitating effects that MS can have through exercise" with regular Pilates. Mariska works at Fuse Pilates with many clients with spinal cord injuries, chronic medical conditions and injury-prone athletes. As March is MS Awareness Month, Mariska choose to speak up about how she is able to cope with the disease in her daily life. 

“MS affects everyone in different ways, but I’ve found that Pilates has been hugely beneficial to maintain strength, flexibility, and balance, all of which can be lost due to the disease." 

Breland goes on to state that in addition to the many benefits to one's health, such as improved body awareness, better circulation and greater body control, Pilates also provides emotional advantages.  “Being able to do Pilates is a huge mood booster. Depression and suicide are both higher with MS patients than with the general population. That and many other symptoms can see improvement with the right kind of exercise.”

This exercise routine emphasises core strength for stability of the body as well as flexibility that reduces muscle spasms. Pilates is also excellent for back and spine strengthening to realign posture. These benefits can only help the problems associated with MS and any other health condition. What makes Pilates so perfect as an exercise regime is that most of the exercises can be performed lying or sitting down with little or no impact.  This makes Pilates even more accessible to a broad range of people, ages, fitness levels and health conditions or injuries. 

Know someone that is suffering from MS or another health condition? Or just want to do some low impact exercise that will have a great impact on your life? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com for more information or to inquire. 

x Emily 

CHICKEN BAKED in a SALT CRUST

Chicken baked in a salt crust. My most time consuming endeavour in the kitchen yet, I do believe. Thank you to the Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for this beautiful, rustic recipe. I had never even had the guts to roast a whole anything before this dish. A word of warning - whilst the dough/pastry will look incredibly appetising after it has been cooked - do not eat it! The almost 2 cups of salt makes it completely inedible- and believe me, myself and my partner Chris know as we both tried it and both spit it out very daintily. You may be wondering then why a salt crust is included in the recipe but not allowed to be eaten? Preparing a salty crust is a simple, easy way to cook a tender and succulent chicken in an oven, says Evans. Whilst this recipe takes up to 3 hours, if you have the time or want to make a meal to impress, this is well worth it. I can’t recall ever experiencing such flavorsome and tasty chicken.

INGREDIENTS

• 600g (4 cups) gluten-free plain flour, plus extra to create a floured surface
• 400g (around 1 2/3 cup) table salt
• 4 egg whites, preferably free-range
• 1.2 - 1.4 kg chicken, preferably free-range
• 1 tablespoon dairy-free spread, such as Nuttelex, at room temperature 
• 1/2 a lemon 
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
• kitchen string

PREPARATION 

1. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl and stir in egg whites. Slowly add 250ml (1 cup) of water to the mixture, forming a stiff dough as you go. (If you need to add more water that is fine, just use sparingly). Cover dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. 

2. Whilst chicken is resting, use your fingers to rub the nuttelex and sage around the chicken and inside the chicken cavity. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and place the lemon half inside the cavity. 

3. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Use kitchen string to tie the chicken legs together and twist the wings so that they lie underneath the chicken. 

4. Make the pastry by rolling the dough out on a floured surface. Try to make the dough as close to 1cm thick and 38cm wide by 50cm long. Place the chicken in the middle of the pastry, breast-side up and carefully fold the dough over the chicken; first fold the pastry lengthways so that the chicken is covered and then fold widthways so that the pastry overlaps. Seal the edges of the dough by pressing together firmly. 

COOKING 

1. Gently lift the chicken and place it in a lightly greased deep heatproof baking dish (I used a deep casserole dish). Place the dish on a low shelf of the oven for 90-120 minutes, checking now and again to make sure that the crust of the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Once pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. There is no need to season the chicken, as it will have absorbed some of the salt from the crust. Serve warm, with steamed or grilled vegetables. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 45 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 110-130 minutes (1 hour 50 minutes - 2 hours 10 minutes)

x Emily 

SWEET POTATO FRIES

Dedicated readers of this blog will know that I go a tad crazy with my love of sweet potato. I try to incorporate it into almost every dinner recipe, sometimes failing miserably. Whilst my Dutch heritage makes it mandatory for me to love starchy white potato, I find the sweetened taste of sweet potato more desirable. Below is an incredibly easy recipe for sweet potato fries, with a hint of Indian spices. My hope is that readers will make these instead of buying greasy and fatty hot takeaway chips (one can only hope!). 

INGREDIENTS

• 450g sweet potato, washed but not peeled, cut into thin even wedges 
• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or sea salt 

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato and oil, tossing well to combine. Mix the cumin, coriander and salt in a small bowl, then pour over the sweet potato. Mix well until all ingredients are combined and the spices and seasonings are no longer dry (if they are, add some more oil sparingly). Place the fries close together in a single layer on the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes or until the wedges are tender but not mushy. Remove from the oven and place on a serving plate/bowl. 

Serve wedges warm unaccompanied (the spices taste great!) or with a LIGHT drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise on top, but beware of the extra calories! 

Serves / 2 as a side 
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 15 minutes 

x Emily 

DIET versus EXERCISE

Let’s solve some myths right here right now. Yes exercise is very important and essential for improving your health. Exercise also has the power to boost your energy, prevent cancer, enhance your mood, reduce the risk of heart disease and potentially stop the onset of diabetes. However, when it comes to losing weight, the best and most efficient way to achieve this is to focus on your DIET. We explain why below.

The Goal: To Lose Weight

Focus: Your Diet.

Why: You may have heard of the 80% diet 20 % exercise ratio and the fact that abs are made in the kitchen, not at the gym. Whilst I do not entirely agree with this statement- in my opinion abs are made with Pilates- the ratio seems right on track. If you are falling short with your weight loss goals, the first thing to do is to look at your diet. If you are not fueling your body with healthy foods, you are never going to lose weight and keep it off. Also, never ever use exercise as a way to justify indulgent meals that you consume. It’s a terrible downwards spiral to say “I'll just eat a pizza / tub of ice cream / block of chocolate and exercise the calories away”. That would take many more hours than you realise!

The reason that diet is so crucial and directly linked with weight loss is that what you eat is much easier to modify than your exercise routine. If you want to lose weight, you plan an eating program where you ditch high calorie foods with high GI levels and little or no nutrients for low calorie foods with low GI levels and lots of nutrients. Saying no to the pizza and saying yes to a baked chicken breast takes all of a few seconds and reduces your copious hours at the gym to make up for eating that greasy pizza. Women’s Health Magazine weight loss expert Tara Diversi explains more. “A 7km walk takes a little over an hour for most people and burns around 2000 kilojoules. It takes much less time and less effort to cut 2000 to 4000 kilojoules a day with some small and consistent food changes”. Consequently a healthy balanced diet is the most direct and shortest way towards  dropping a dress size.

Without realising it, people tend to underestimate the calories they consume and overemphasise the calories they burn. Controlling your portion sizes and the food you put in your mouth is much simpler and more efficient than going for a 5 hour run every day (and who has the time to exercise 5 plus hours a day! Not I).

A nutritious diet is imperative to weight loss, as your body needs energy to function. You cannot go on a 10 km walk/run or participate in a tough Pilates class without your body functioning at its best ability.

We definitely do not mean to say that you should cease exercise and lose weight by just eating well. Exercise is vital because if you never challenge your body, you will never see results. Toning and sculpting muscles comes from regular and frequent exercise. Pilates, swimming, running, lifting weights, whatever your exercise regime is important as it assists you in increasing muscle mass, strength and endurance. Diet alone will not and cannot do this.

It appears that the old saying is true; it really does take two to tango. With a healthy and nutritious diet and frequent exercise weight loss will happen! It won’t be easy by any means, but the things we want most in life never are. One thing is for certain though; it will be worth it.

x Emily 

GLUTEN-FREE GNOCCHI with SAGE in a DAIRY-FREE sauce

Gnocchi is something that I have always aspired to make, but negative thoughts constantly persuaded me that I was not a good enough cook to try my hand at it. As summer fades away and my business becomes steady and stable, I openly admit that whilst everything in my life is trucking along wonderfully, I need to continually set audacious goals for myself so I have things to strive for and look forward to. One of these big bold goals was decided just the other night; to run 14km for the City2South Brisbane run on June 16^th, which supports several commendable charities. Whilst I am only 25 and fairly fit, my exercise regime consists of lots of Pilates, Yoga and a few walks, with the very and I stress VERY occasional 4-5km run every month or so. So, where does this fit in with homemade gnocchi? Well, I woke up super inspired on Wednesday morning, ran 12km along the Brisbane river and came home feeling exhausted, sweaty and thinking that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. So I decided it was Gnocchi cooking time at 7:30am! Also, I must admit that the scrumptious looking gnocchi made on My Kitchen Rules on Tuesday night was another motivation for me getting my ass into gear.

For the lucky dairy and/or gluten-intolerant people, this gnocchi fits the bill perfectly. You can add sheep’s pecorino grated cheese as a topping if you desire, but I found that the simple sage & dairy-free butter sauce was delicious on its own. I am still surprised that only 6 ingredients made this tasty dish. If cooking for less than 6 people, feel free to freeze the potato gnocchi mixture before making the shapes and defrost for later use.

I am so happy that I tackled this big, hairy goal that I had put on the back shelf for so long. Any goals that you have that are close to their expiration dates? Perhaps its high time to face them head on.

INGREDIENTS

• 600g floury potatoes (I used pontiac potatoes), peeled & cut into small cubes
• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
• 175g ( 1 1/2 cups) gluten-free plain flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 80-90g Nuttelex (dairy-free & gluten-free butter)
• 3 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. When boiled, add potato cubes and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain well. Return the potatoes to the pan for thirty seconds over a low heat to dry them out. Remove from the pan and mash well in a large mixing bowl so that no lumps are visible. Add the egg, flour, oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and mix well to form a sticky dough. (The dough should not be so gooey that it sticks to your hands, if this is the case, add slightly more flour. If you are having trouble forming the dough as there is too much flour, add water very sparingly, one splash at a time). 

2. With your hands, make very small oval (egg-like) shapes with the dough and lightly imprint the four tines of the fork into the dough. Repeat until no more dough remains. 

3. Gradually bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil (you can start gently warming up the water when you are close to finishing the rolling of your gnocchi) and add the gnocchi to the water. Cook for 3 minutes or until all gnocchi pieces have risen to the surface of the water. Drain the gnocchi under water and transfer to six serving bowls. 

4. To make the sage butter sauce - melt the nuttelex in a small to medium frying pan over medium heat. When the nuttelex ceases to foam, add the sage and stir for 2 minutes or until sage is crisp and the nuttelex is golden in colour. Drizzle evenly over each of the 6 servings of gnocchi and add more chopped sage as well if desired. 

Serves / 6

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes plus time to shape the gnocchi - if it is your first time allow 30 minutes for this. 

x Emily 

EMILY VANCAMP OWES HER REVENGEFUL BODY TO PILATES

The hottest TV actress around right now is undoubtedly Emily VanCamp. Her sultry eyes, her perfect pout, her epic wardrobe and that rocking BODY; we can’t help but be rather jealous of the new kid on the block. The 26-year-old actress reveals how she keeps her body looking amazing and red-hot in the latest edition of US Shape magazine. Below are some of her fitness and health secrets!

Emily, a former ballet dancer, reveals that she owes her envious figure to a ‘love affair’ with Pilates. VanCamp admits that her young years of tough ballet training made her no stranger to pushing her body to achieve her goals. “The amount of rigour [ballet] required was exhausting but rewarding. I still have that competitiveness from being so entrenched in it at such a young age.” It appears that Emily has now channelled that competiveness and dedication to regular Pilates classes!

“Pilates is my favourite core strengthener. I do it three or four times a week. With all the strengthening and lengthening, it's like ballet. Plus, you get to exercise lying down!”

Vancamp also dishes about one very memorable Pilates exercise; “The Hundreds abdominal move is a killer. I can't say it's my favourite, because it's not easy, but it works!"

Emily is becoming known for her super flat abs, as well as her acting ability. As you can see from the photos above, Vancamp cuts a fine figure on magazine covers, at photo shoots and holidaying with her man and Revenge co-star, Josh Bowman. And we haven’t even gotten into the actress’s stunning red carpet figure! Emily informs that she keeps her commitment to Pilates so that she can wear all those glamorous cocktail dresses whilst sporting a toned stomach.

The beauty also talks eating with Shape magazine and how she stays away from bad food. "I'm on-set 12 to 15 hours a day, and I make sure to eat every couple of hours to stay high-energy. I love my carbs, but I try to balance them with protein, like fish or chicken, and plenty of vegetables—and not nibble too many doughnuts. My chicken souvlaki is easy, healthy and great with a Greek salad."

Want to get super-toned abs like emily? or interested in a really tough core workout? Give Pilates a try today! Call Premium pilates studio on 0402 68-0 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com 

x Emily