February 23, 2021

Facts About Fasting

Should we fast?

Shoulder we go through all the hunger pains and stresses, deprive ourselves of food and our life source?

The answer is yes yes yes….

But hold on, how long should we fast for, 12, 24, or 36 hrs?

Is it just a case of restricting our daily calories or do we just delay our first meal of the day?

There are so many different ways to fast, but here are a few reasons why we fast.

When we fast or restrict our calories the body releases growth hormone. Growth hormone is the fountain of youth for the body. It promotes muscle growth, repair, and anti aging. Unfortunately, it declines as we get older.

Fasting will also use up all our blood sugars and then tap into our fat storage for energy. Great for weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels.

When fasting for long enough the body will go into a catabolic state. Although this seems scary, a bodybuilders nightmare actually has great health benefits and could be life saving.

When the body enters into a catabolic state it will use all the old and damaged cells first for its energy.

This is good news as not only does it make way for new cells to be produced it eliminates the damaged cells which have the potential to turn cancerous.

Fasting has been around for centuries and many religious beliefs have embraced it. It is also part of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle which we fully embrace.

A good entry level way to fast is time delayed eating. This is where your first meal is at 10 am and your last meal is at 6 pm with only water in between, any other fluids will affect the fasting process.

From there you can experiment with a longer fast from once a week to every 3months.

The other beneficial side affect of fasting is how mentally strong you become and surprisingly how much energy you have. So give it a try, it’s a great way to kick start your healthy habits, become mentally strong, and trigger off some natural anti aging.

Fast Facts about Fasting:

  • Improves function of cells, genes, and hormones
  • Induces loss of body fat
  • Controls blood sugar levels & type 2 diabetes
  • Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation
  • Induces cell repair
  • Increases levels of endorphins
  • Induces detoxification process
  • Recalibrates your hunger demand signals
  • Increases growth hormone

Chicken & Broccoli Salad

By Zina Stone • April 9, 2026
Ingredients 2 cups broccoli (finely chopped, raw) 2 cups kale (finely chopped, stems removed for best texture) 1 cup broccoli sprouts 200g chicken thigh fillets (trimmed & cooked) ¼ cup almonds (roughly chopped) ¼ cup sunflower seeds ¼ cup feta cheese (optional) 2 tbsp red onion (finely diced) Sulforaphane-Boosting Dressing ½ cup Greek yogurt 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp whole mustard seeds OR ½ tsp mustard powder 1 tbsp hemp seeds 1 tsp honey (optional) Salt & pepper to taste Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Season and cook thigh fillets until golden and cooked through. Rest, then slice. Step two - Chop your greens Finely chop broccoli and kale. Step Three - Activate the sulforaphane Let the chopped broccoli sit for 5–10 minutes before mixing . Step four - Massage the kale Add a pinch of salt and massage for 1–2 minutes until softened. Step five - Combine salad Add broccoli, kale , broccoli sprouts, chicken, almonds, sunflower seeds, feta, and onion. Step six - Make the dressing Whisk everything together until creamy. Step seven - Toss & serve Mix well and let sit 5–10 minutes for best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Serves: 2-3 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 12 - 15 minutes 460 kcal | 20g Fat | 38g Protein | 15g Carbohydrates

Chicken, Beet & Lentil Power Bowl

By Zina Stone • March 26, 2026
Ingredients 700–800g chicken breast (raw) 2 cups cooked lentils 3–4 small beetroot (about 400g total) 6–8 cups rocket (arugula) or spinach 2 cucumbers (sliced) 1 small red onion (thinly sliced) 2 tsp olive oil (total) Juice of 1–2 lemons Spice rub 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp paprika 3 garlic cloves (minced) Salt + black pepper Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Coat chicken with spices and garlic. Grill, bake, or pan-cook with minimal oil until cooked through. Slice. Step two - Prepare The Beetroot Roast at 200°C for ~30–40 min (or use pre-cooked), then slice. Step Three - Build The Bowl Divide greens, lentils, beetroot, cucumber, and onion across 4 bowls. Top with protein Add sliced chicken evenly. Step four - Dress It Lightly Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over each bowl. Step five - Serve & Enjoy Toss lightly if desired, or keep layered for presentation. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm for the best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes 450 kcal | 7g Fat | 53g Protein | 37g Carbohydrates

Smoked Salmon & Avocado Green Bowl

By Zina Stone • March 19, 2026
Ingredients 100g smoked salmon ½ large avocado, sliced 2 boiled eggs (soft or hard, halved) 1 cup baby spinach or mixed leafy greens ½ cup cucumber, sliced ¼ cup asparagus (lightly steamed or raw shaved) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional) Salt & black pepper to taste Fresh dill or parsley (optional) Method Step one - Boil the eggs Bring water to a boil, add eggs and cook: 6–7 min for soft-boiled / 9–10 min for hard-boiled. Cool, peel, and halve Step two - Prepare greens Wash and dry spinach/greens, place in bowl. Step Three - Prep veggies Slice avocado and cucumber. Lightly steam asparagus if desired. Step four - Assemble bowl Arrange smoked salmon, eggs, avocado, cucumber, and asparagus over greens. Step five - Dress it Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Step six - Finish & serve Add herbs and pumpkin seeds, then serve. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 7–9 minutes (for boiling eggs + optional asparagus) Total time: ~15–18 minutes 620 kcal | 48g Fat | 37g Protein | 11g Carbohydrates