Alana Maxwell Nutrition + Wellbeing

Enjoying a weekend conference at The Secret Language of Food discussing the power of polyphenols in food and their influence on the gut and brain.

Low fruit and vegetable intake is in the top 10 risk factors for global mortality. Unfortunately this habit of low intake starts in childhood. In Australia only 6 out of 100 children eat the right amount of daily fruits and vegetables.

The secret power of fruits and vegetables lies in the polyphenol signalling properties, which switch on protective genes and antioxidant processes, and switch off inflammatory pathways. Inflammation damages cells, tissues, organs and can lead to disease.

Sugar and highly processed foods switch on inflammation, they are the most inflammatory inducing foods. Fruits and vegetables switch off inflammation.

Feeling empowered after an amazing education day yesterday for ADHD natural health solutions. This is NOT a disorder, just a different way the brain works. There are so many ways to support the brain pathways through supplements, diet and simple lifestyle additions for significant improvements to behaviour, motivation and cognition.

Having a few members in my household with this, I really understand how challenging it can be for parents navigating the school system for our ADHD children.

I offer hair mineral analysis and blood interpretation to assess which nutrients are making symptoms worse, and how to make the corrections and get improvements.

Lunchbox inspiration;
Rice paper roll lover is this house, such an easy versatile lunchbox food.
Fill with 50% protein source and 50% vegetables. Why don't I use noodles? I know the takeaway places use 50-75% noodles, but have a closer look! This is mostly due to profit margins, noodles are cheap carbs, protein is expensive. Most lunch boxes are full of carbs and lacking in protein. Our kids need protein sources for brain pathways, growth, healthy mood and behaviour. Give them protein at lunch for better after-school moods!

Rice paper roll ingredients: chicken, finely grated carrot, avocado, lettuce, pesto.

Last days skiing Queenstown with a couple of magic bluebird days. Thank you Queenstown and The Remarkables for your hospitality. Special thanks to The Remarkables Medical Team for assisting my daughter with her fall on the last run. She is recovering fine with no major injury, down temporarily but not beaten. Nothing like a ride on the Medical sled, not quite the same as Santa's sleigh when you're in pain, but a wonderful team of staff.

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Family skiing and snowboarding in Queenstown. Intense sport needs good nutrition for intense demand on muscles and brain power for rapid decision-making.

We still seek a nutrition first principle, making breakfast a priority with wholegrains, fruit, protein rich and lots of healthy fats. We make our lunch in the morning to avoid queues, manage allergies, maintain the best nutrition and save money.

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Ski and snowboard breakfasts in my house. 3 like it cooked, 2 like it uncooked.

Cooked version: eggs with GF toast and avocado with leftover mince and pasta from my lunch cookup.
Uncooked version: fruit and GF DF muesli 1 scoop collagen protein powder

Multiple ways to get in your daily fruit needs.

Fast, hot skiiers lunch for allergies and long cafe queues. So easy to whip this together in the morning in under 30mins. Sets you up for a great day.

No queues, no wait, no stress.

Olive oil into large pan, topped with 1kg bag of thinly sliced frozen vege.

Add 600g of minced meat into middle of the vege, to allow it to brown for 5mins. Mix altogether, add can of chopped tomatoes, seasoning, optional can of black beans to make it go further. Cook 15mins.

While cooking, boil the jug and cook quick pasta. Mix together and pack into thermos containers.

= hot nutrition
= full tummies
= sustaining energy
= happy family

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Our mountain snacks for skiing and snowboarding. A combination of fast and slow energy ingredients and protein rich. This provides for both rapid energy needs and sustained energy over a longer time.
Fast energy ingredients: dried fruit, grains (crackers), starchy vegetables (pumpkin in the hummus)
Slow energy ingredients: nuts, coconut, dark chocolate, legumes (hummus)
Protein: nuts, seeds, hummus

Excited to partner with Samford State School this year to support children's learning, energy, behaviour, resilience and sleep with nutrition. Samford State School focuses on the whole child and recognises nutrition is a core component to learning and development.

Every child participated in a fun incursion learning how food affects our body, how different foods help different parts, why we need to eat a rainbow of fruits and veges every day. Many children decided to eat more fruits and vegetables after this incursion, and even enjoyed tasting a green smoothie. Many children said they could eat green foods after this tasting session.

We will continue to support the school over the next year to continue these messages in the school environment and classrooms.

Food and mood plants - the edible flower, Viola. I pot them up around my outdoor living area for winter colour and smiles. Look stunning in multiple white pots, and my daughter loves to water them, bonus! Best of all, you can eat them, pop them in a lunch salad to give you a lunchtime smile.

Love plants that serve dual purpose, beauty, food and mood.

Alana's gone bananas preparing 20kg of bananas for the Mad Food Science incursion at Samford State School. Every child has the opportunity to taste a green smoothie.

Excited to be partnering with an innovative school, who recognise that food impacts learning, concentration energy, behaviour. Together we will feed these children's bodies and brains throughout the year with positive food messages and experiences.

Thank you to Drakes Supermarkets in Samford for supplying all 30kg of fruits and veges used over the 2 weeks at Samford State School.

Colourful healthy morning tea options at A Better Choice Qld conference. Where healthy foods are front and centre for children's health.

Great day today at A Better Choice conference, provided by Health & Wellbeing Qld. Wonderful opportunity to hear strategies and success stories for supporting better choices in menu selections at schools, sports clubs and associations.

Organika Noosa with 2 of my daughters. Enjoying tea with GF and DF snacks. A beautiful shop and cafe for healthy foodie inspiration.

Loco Loves are a great Easter option for food intolerance peops: GF DF and vegan.

Beach time and nature bathing is my favourite stress reducer. Shinrinyoku its called in Japanese, aka being calm and quiet amongst the trees and nature.

Did you know my first degree was a major in Japanese and Business? I used to swim laps in the pool memorising vocab and strokes of the written kanji in a meditative state. Not quite true nature bathing, but still worked as a study technique and stress reliever combined.

Whats your favourite stress reliever?

Nutrition Clinic is back for 2023 for Mums, teens and children in the beautiful Samford overlooking the countryside or online.

Do you need help resetting your nutrition for the year, dealing with annoying gut issues that won't go away, supporting a child or teens gut health or mental health for a good year ahead?

My clinic rooms are lucky enough to look over this peaceful setting. Peaceful, natural and full of life, everything I aim to achieve for my clients.

Beach days are downtime for me, resetting the sympathetic nervous system. Enjoying the moment, being still in nature, noticing the rhythms of the environment.

Even the birds, with all their strength to fly the skies, know that resting is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Work-rest-work-rest is a great daily practice for resetting stress hormones, restoring energy levels, maintaining health, the animals have it sorted.

I'm taking a feather from these birds in 2023, as a symbol to recall throughout the days, a reminder to get back into balance.

What picture or symbol can you save from your holidays, to support a healthier work-rest balance in 2023?

2023 is the year for health.

Are you searching for greater health in 2023? Maybe you or your children had some health challenges last year that haven't completely resolved, or you don't want to repeat again this year.

Using real food to support you and your children's health is a great way to start. It's an easy, simple goal that's achievable.

When life gets busy, it's easy to reach for the packets and takeaways on a daily basis. I get it. Switching back to real food is the simplest way to take charge of your health, both physically and mentally. Real food feeds the immune, gut health, brain health and promotes natural detoxification.

I see people every week in my practice achieving incredible results, just from real foods. Yes, JUST making food changes.

Need some inspiration? Let me help you and your family find your real food groove, how to eat for true health, how to support your family's health.

Happy New Year, 2023 is for health, make your health changes easy, simple, achievable.

#2023

A new study published in June 22 showed the importance of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.

This study revealed that 6 of the 8 colours of fruits and veges had unique health benefits only attributed with that unique colour. This highlighted that bioactive plant substances are likely more beneficial than the vitamins, minerals and carbohydrate content. Amazing! When we miss a colour from our diet, we miss out on important health benefits. Food really is medicine!!

Become a rainbow eater, and support your kids to do the same. Rainbow eating supports natural health benefits.



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Reigniting the organic farmgate stall. My youngest has decided to sell surplus organic produce, flowers and baking on the weekends. It started when we pruned our lemon tree before the next flowering, and suddenly had 30 kgs of ripe lemons. I couldn't juice all that for the freezer.

People love supporting her, I'm surprised how many are asking for our organic herbs, she sells out most weeks.

Of course, the blackbean gf df brownie is also a big hit.

Looking for a fun School Holiday Program?

Join me for a Kids Christmas Cooking Class at Market Organics, Newmarket on Wednesday 14th December for kids aged 9-12 yrs.

Learn how to make healthy Christmas snacks and gifts to recreate at home. You will get to eat your creations at the end and take some home too. We will provide the recipes too! Plus enjoy one complimentary coffee while you wait.

Gluten free, diary free, peanut free (contains other nuts)

BOOK TICKETS here: https://shop.marketorganics.com.au/offers/mo-health-wellness-workshops

Vapes are clouded in misconception ☁️. They contain many of the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in regular ci******es.

One of these ingredients is diacetyl, used in popcorn flavourings for its buttery taste.

When eaten, diacetyl is usually harmless. But, when inhaled in large amounts, can lead to 'Popcorn Lung' or bronchiolitis obliterans. 🍿🫁

Bronchiolitis obliterans is a rare condition that causes inflammation in the airways, leading to scarring and permanent damage. This can make it hard to breathe, and once occurs, can't be fixed. 😮‍💨

The sooner you put the v**e down, the quicker your body can rebound and repair itself. Don't get sucked in – it's not worth it.

If you or someone you know needs support to quit, contact Quitline on 13 78 48, or visit https://quithq.initiatives.qld.gov.au.

ℹ️ Source:
Qld health (2021). What's really in v**e juice. The known harms of e-ci******es and va**ng.
Cleveland Clinic (2022). Popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans).

12yo daughter makes herself a rainbow platter, 🌈 totally self initiated. Carrot, tomatoes, blueberries, fennel, mango, date and coconut roll, guacamole.

After years of teaching my kids about the benefits of real food, and how different colours support different systems in our bodies, the messages do slowly become habit forming.

Of course, there will always be the teen years rebellion phase, but these foundational messages and skills to use real food, will always return and be important for setting our kids up for life long health and wellness.

Real food improves learning, behaviour, sleep and resilience.

Looking for a nutrition reset and reminder this spring?

I'll be presenting food demonstrations at Market Organics Newmarket on Thursday 13 October, 6.30pm.

I will be discussing how to structure a plate for optimum health, how to easily get extra vege and greens into your day, easy snacks, products I use.

The $20 ticket is redeemed back on anything purchased on the night.

Book here.

https://shop.marketorganics.com.au/offers/mo-health-wellness-workshops

Educating schools how to swap packet foods for real fruit and vege.

Fruits and veges provide nutrients for brains, energy, learning, mood and behaviour. Packet foods have low nutritional value and cause blood sugars highs and energy slumps.

Presenting our Children's Health Program to P&C Conference Qld this weekend.

Thanks to Woolworths for providing the fruit and vege.

Standing for children's health at the P&C conference in Brisbane.

Amazing to be a nutrition advocate for brain health, gut health, learning and energy. Nutrition is at the heart of all of these. Impacting one community at a time.