Wearing My Heart On My Hip

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pedometer

For the last week I have been wearing a pedometer to see what my average daily steps are. Why?

I recently met with the Heart Foundation and learnt just how serious heart health is.

Heart disease is certainly not just an old man disease, which is a common misconception.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Australia. Women are four times as likely to die from heart disease as breast cancer. We all know how scary breast cancer is. But we don’t talk about heart disease. Why?

For me, I keep my head in the sand about heart disease because I know obesity is a very real risk factor. I don’t want to talk to my doctor about my heart health because I know the weight thing will come up, so I consider that conversation to be done since I’ve consulted with the doctor in my head and endeavour to lose weight…. But it never happens because the motivation wanes and all the other stuff I have to do comes first.

I am especially silly about this because my grandmother had a quadruple bypass years ago, another two grandparents died from heart conditions when I was younger and my younger brother has had a heart attack. YOUNGER brother. Holy crap. Time to get my head out of the sand.

As a mum, I am a natural martyr putting my own health and well being behind everyone else’s.

That has to stop. I’m pretty sure my kids want me around for quite some time, so it’s time to put my health at the top of the list.

It doesn’t take huge drastic changes to become healthier. I am starting with my activity. 10,000 steps a day is the recommended amount, and looking at this week’s numbers, I have some work to do! I will be aiming for 8,000 steps each day this week and will work my way up to 10,000 a day over the next two weeks.

Making small changes is more sustainable than making huge changes that you can’t maintain.

I have joined with Operation Move over at Kate Says Stuff, to get some more motivation to move my butt every day.

For other ideas on small changes you can make to get your heart healthier, check out the Heart Foundation website. 

I’ll also be sharing some of their recipes over the next couple of months as I make some easy dietary changes.

I was given a pedometer by the Heart Foundation along with some other goodies to inspire a healthier lifestyle. I was not asked or paid to write this post. Heart health is a real and important issue and one that is very relevant to me.

 

 

Getting My Mash On. Prep Masha Review.

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The lovely people at Wordstorm gave me this handy little mashing thingo to review.

masha

Here’s what the people that made it say:

The Masha uses patented Rotor Cone technology to gently squeeze potato through an outer mesh. The result is restaurant quality, smooth creamy mash in seconds.

My husband used it to make the creamiest pumpkin soup and then it was my turn to have a play. I decided to make Gnocci. For the first time ever.

 

Steamed potatoes ready for the Masha treatment

Steamed potatoes ready for the Masha treatment

Seconds later we have light and fuffy mashed potato

Seconds later we have light and fuffy mashed potato

Then I added the flour and egg and parmesan.

Then I added the flour and egg and parmesan cheese.

Rolled the dough into logs and then cut into little bits and rolled into balls and rolled over a fork to get these little Gnoccis. Far from uniform, but pretty good anyway.

Rolled the dough into logs and then cut into little bits and rolled into balls and rolled over a fork to get these little Gnoccis. Really bloody fiddly but a bit fun and made me feel all domestic goddess like. Far from uniform, but pretty good anyway.

Boiled in salted water until the rose to the top, then tossed in pesto and served. YUM

Boiled in salted water until they rose to the top, then tossed in pesto and served. YUM

When I used the Masha to make Gnocci, I wasn’t initially convinced of it’s awesomeness, because bits of potato were getting stuck in behind the blades and not mashing. However, I have since learnt that I was not using it properly. To stop bits of stuff getting stuck in behind the blades, you have to keep the Masha on and spinning while lifting it up out of the mash. Mashing in an up and down motion and not just on the down. Problem fixed. On my second try I mashed pumpkin and sweet potato for muffins. Perfection.

The thing my husband likes best about this is that the plastic blade comes off so it is so much easier to clean than a stick blender.

What I like about it is that mashing anything now takes mere seconds.

I don’t know if I would buy one myself, because I didn’t know I needed it. But now that I have it, I am not giving it away to anyone. So I think it would make a great gift.

At the moment it is only $49 at Harvey Norman and $68 at Big W, Which is a huge difference. Shop around.

For more info and some video check out the website http://www.prepstore.com.au/

I received the Masha to review and keep. No money was offered or accepted for this review. All words and opinions are my own.

Equal Love, Equal Rights.

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I was super happy to wake up to this news this morning:

Proud to be a kiwi today as New Zealand becomes the 13th country to recognise marriage equality and make it legal. I am also really looking forward to the rest of the world, especially Australia, catching on. Hurry up, I have some weddings to attend.

But it means more than that. So much more. It means that there will be no legal backing to homophobia. No double standards to back up your bigotted beliefs. This means a happier,fairer, more equal world for my children.

This law passed last night and the sky is still up there, so you see? It’s still all good.