You've just GOT to eat some of this!

Here's a photo of something I made yesterday... Baked salmon with oyster sauce, salad aaaaaannnddd BULGAR WHEAT!

I've been eating this stuff ever since I was able to eat solid food as a baby and grew up with it, but only recently did I discover its amazing benefits.

Bulgar wheat (also called cracked wheat) is widely used in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking and is a great alternative to rice. I've cut right back on white rice as it's so bad for you.

Here are just some of the benefits of bulgar:

·         It's 100 percent whole wheat that’s specially prepared to decrease cooking time

·         It's a good source of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin B-6

·         Eating whole-grain foods, including bulgur, may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease 

·         It' a low-glycemic-index food, which is good for your insulin levels and blood glucose

·         It contributes to maintaining a healthy body weight

·         It's a good source of magnesium

·         It lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

·         It protects against breast cancer (Pre-menopausal women who get enough fiber each day from sources like cracked wheat and other whole grains have a risk of breast cancer 52 percent lower than that of women who do not get enough fiber each day. )

Yep, definitely going to be eating more of the stuff. I've already had it 3 times this week. It's so easy to cook. Here's how I normally do mine.

Brown some chopped onions in a little olive oil

Add some vermicelli till it goes brown

Add a cup of bulgar wheat

Add enough hot veg or chicken stock to just cover the bulgar, season with salt and put the stove on very low

Check after 5 minutes as it should be done

Fluff with a fork and serve

Yes, it's THAT fast and simple. I have served it as a side dish to a few of my friends and they've really liked it. :-) I also add a little natural Greek yogurt to mine (it's a Greek thing) and eat olives too.

My healthy habits

If you follow me on Instagram you know how much I like food as I often post photos of what I’ve cooked or meals out that I’ve enjoyed.

I’ve always considered myself to be a healthy person. Here are just a few of the things I live by:

•  I only drink water with my meals and the rest of the time, herbal teas such as green tea and rooibos teas (and English breakfast tea in the morning for a little caffeine). No fizzy drinks in sight apart from sparkling water when I’m out for a meal, and no alcohol.
• I eat brown bread, rice and pasta
•  I eat a variety of unsalted nuts every day and also dried fruit and gogi berries (they are packed with vitamin C)
•  I eat loads of fruit and veg
•  I rarely eat fried food
•  I exercise regularly

But I started thinking more about my health lately, especially since my father died of cancer last month. Everyone was surprised when he got sick because he was really healthy too – apart from one thing. Us Greeks love our BBQs and I have to say, growing up, there were plenty of them – lots of red fatty meat along with our healthy olive oil and massive salads.

Although I don’t eat as much red meat as my father did, I think I eat a bit too much sometimes. I don’t think I’ve ever been out and had a vegetarian meal. I somehow think I’m not eating properly if I don’t eat something that was alive one day LOL!

So I’ve decided to change this mentality and cut down on red meat. I made a vegetarian curry the other day with sweet potato and it was really nice and my hubby liked it too. I’ve also decided to do a water challenge and drink two litres every day for a month and see how that improves my skin and general well-being.

If you’d like to join me in the water challenge from the 1^st June, do drop me a line on  chris@chrissybshow.tv. It would be great if you can take a before photo for us to compare and we may even feature it on my TV show. We once featured some news about a woman who did this for a while and at the end of the experiment, her skin appeared 10 years younger!

No matter how good we think we are at something, we can always improve right? So….who’s in?

He was SO rude...

Something I really love about the TV show I do is when I have guests on that have never been on TV. They are so excited and you can see that it's a huge deal for them - for some, it's one of their dreams come true. Most are really nervous and I sit with them for a while before the show in the green room to try and ease their nerves a bit, but a few minutes into the show, they're doing great and chatting away confidently.

I really wish everyone would be so nice and down-to-earth, but unfortunately, some seem to get corrupted when they get a bit of fame (or perhaps it was already there just waiting to 'shine' when they become successful). I remember once almost cancelling a show that was about to go live because of a guest that was quite well known who thought it was okay to be very rude to the staff, and yet was as sweet as pie when I walked into the room. I have a great team. They are hardworking, friendly, lovely to be around - so I got a bit protective I suppose. But in the end, the show went ahead but I didn't enjoy it as I do when there are guests that are nice. I would much prefer to interview the average Joe Blogs than an A-list celeb any day, unless of course that celeb has managed to remain grounded.

It's a very beautiful thing when someone is hugely successful, has lots of money but hasn't let that success or wealth corrupt them. They don't take what they have for granted, but are grateful and uphold their principles and values and treat others (even those that can do nothing for them) with respect. It's a rare thing nowadays. I am fortunate enough to know and to have met some of these people and I have the utmost respect for them, not because of the remarkable things that they have achieved, but because of the character they have upheld.

Goodbye daddy

Last Monday, I said goodbye to my father who died of liver cancer. It was a really hard time for all of us and I miss him dearly.

He was a larger than life character, very funny, very generous and people loved him. I was quite taken aback by all the people that turned up at his funeral last Wednesday and at how upset they were.

Dad and I were very close when I was younger. I went everywhere with him – on deliveries, grocery shopping, dentist and doctors appointments, even shooting and fishing. He would love spending time with his family and we were showered with love and affection.

But in my late teens, I hurt him deeply when I told him about my boyfriend of 2 years. I hadn't told him earlier because I knew he wouldn't approve due to the culture difference, but I didn't want to lie to him anymore. He kissed me on the forehead as if to say goodbye and that was the end of our relationship as we knew it. He stopped speaking to me as in his eyes, I had disrespected him beyond forgiveness for keeping my relationship a secret and despite my attempts to talk to him, we lived like strangers under the same roof. It was unbearable, I started to go off the rails as I already had depression and I eventually moved out.

He started speaking to me again after a few years but didn't want anything to do with my boyfriend who later became my husband. So I would visit and even stay for a few days but things were never the same between us. Though we would laugh and joke about things, and greet each other with a kiss, there were no hugs and he couldn't forget the fact that I had hidden something from him and thought that I had been laughing behind his back.

But through his sickness, I saw him change. He started to want to talk about the past, express how he felt and I listened. He told me how hurt he was at how I'd lied and laughed at him. And I said, "Daddy, how can you think I was laughing at you? The reason I didn't tell you was because I didn't want to lose you. I knew that as soon as I told you about Michael, that would be it. So I kept both of you as long as I could." "But you lost me anyway," he said. "Yes, but I should have been able to keep both of you," I replied.

And finally after almost 20 years, on a visit to the UK for medical reasons, out of the blue, he announced that I could also bring my husband to my sister's house. It was like a dream seeing them meet for the first time. I was quite shocked when Michael went straight up to him and gave him a big bear hug and planted a kiss on his cheek. They got on like a house on fire and dad turned to me and said, "Michael's alright isn't he? He seems like a really nice person." "Yes dad, that's what I've been trying to tell you," I replied. That was a big deal coming from my dad because he was a very good judge of character and could suss someone out in the first 5 minutes of meeting them.

During the last few days of his life, I stroked his head, held his hand, massaged his feet, gave him lots of kisses, slept with my head touching his, nuzzled into his neck (he always smelt nice) and told him I loved him numerous times - and then he was gone...

But why am I sharing something so personal with you? It took a sickness to bring my father and I together to talk about everything. When faced with death or faced with the prospect of losing someone, people start thinking about their life and things that seemed really important can then seem really insignificant. So they try to put things right, they make amends with people, say the things they never had the courage to say, and express their love to people.

I suppose this is the only good that comes out of being ill. But many people don't have the chance of putting things right. Death comes without warning - an accident, a heart attack... And all that remains for those left behind is guilt, depression, regrets and unspoken words.

Don't wait to tell someone you love them. Tell them how you feel and show them how much you care.

Don’t stay angry when someone close lets you down. We all make mistakes. Is it really worth losing someone you love over that?

Kids, respect your parents and don’t lie to them or keep things from them as this could hurt them to the core.

And if it’s too late, if the person has already left this world, don’t beat yourself up anymore. See it as a life lesson that has taught you what to do if a similar situation arises in the future.

I choose to remember the good times I had with my dad and there were so many. J

He meant well, but it was torture...

I look happy in this photo don’t I? Would you believe that this was a little bit of torture for me? Let me explain.

This photo was taken just before my cousin dropped me off at the airport after visiting my father in hospital in Cyprus. During the drive to the airport, I said to my cousin, “If I get a window seat, at least I’ll see the sea from the window.” Suddenly he took a detour. “Er, where are you going?” I asked a little puzzled. “To the beach,” he replied grinning.

Bless him, he meant well, but I wished he hadn’t taken that detour. You see, I love the sea, the beach, swimming, diving, nature, etc. When I was younger, we used to camp by the sea, and whilst everyone was taking an afternoon nap to get away from the scorching sun, I was the nutcase that would be sitting on the highest point of the rocks with the waves crashing around me and just looking out and taking in all the beauty.

That day, as soon as I stepped onto the sand and heard the waves, I wanted to stay there for a while. But we literally had just 5 minutes because I had a flight to catch. It was just enough time to take off my shoes and paddle a bit. The water was warm and I so wanted to swim. The only way I could think of to console myself was to eat two big nutella crepes with ice-cream with a good old cuppa at the airport café later. J

But this experience got me thinking. In this particular instance, it was better for me not to have even gone there because I got a taste of something that I was not able to enjoy due to the circumstances. But there are people that unfortunately have learned to live like this. They don’t allow themselves to have a taste of something because they don’t believe they can have (or deserve) the good things in life, so they would rather shut themselves away to stop themselves from being hurt. That’s no way to live one’s life!

Dare to dream. Start seeing what you want in your mind and once you can see it, get a taste for it which will make you thirsty to fight for it.

• Go out and meet new people even though you’ve been hurt in the past.
• Go and view the house of your dreams or test drive that car you’ve always wanted to drive, even though you can’t afford either right now.
• Look into how to start up your business even though you ‘ve never done anything like this before.

…Catch my drift?

You DO deserve it and you CAN make it. Enjoy your life and be happy. J

I couldn’t believe my ears

This month, I went to Cyprus for a week and a half to visit my father who has been  battling liver cancer.

It was certainly an experience that will be etched in my memory forever. I lived in the hospital for about a week with my sister and mother. At night, mum slept in a chair by his bedside (she's been doing this for months during his hospital stays) and my sister and I slept on the sofas just outside his room. He was in a room with 3 other patients and I was shocked by what I witnessed. I won't go into too much detail here so I don't upset anyone but I would like to write about one particular case.

In a bed opposite my father was a man who had suddenly gone blind. He had an awful wheeze, was very confused and kept trying to get out of his bed. He would get so frustrated that he would shout and swear at his wife, demanding a cigarette. She had a really hard time with him. The fact was, he was really scared and didn't know what was happening to him. Just three weeks earlier, he had gone for a check-up as his eye-sight had gone hazy. After some tests, it was found that he had lung cancer (the result of being a smoker) that had already spread and gone into his brain which was what was causing the blindness. He was dead within a week of being admitted to hospital.

This wasn't the only shocking thing however. Before he tragically passed away, his son who would visit him daily and seeing the terrible distress his father was in, was one day smoking in the stairwell. His mother told him off and he turned around and rudely snapped, "Nothing's going to happen to me. I won't get sick." I couldn't believe my ears. I'm sure his father had thought the same thing. 

Why do people so easily take things for granted?

·         I’ll eat whatever I want and not exercise – I won’t ever get sick

·         I’ll spend time with my husband/wife one day soon. I’ve just got to get this project finished first. They’ll understand.

·         I’ll take my children out next week. They can watch a bit more TV for now. It won’t do them any harm

·         My friends have all taken ecstasy pills. I’m sure I’ll be okay if I try it just this once…

…and the list goes on…

Yet every day, people get sick, people get divorced, parents and children have no relationship, people die. When it all goes wrong, then comes the guilt and what-ifs and should-haves.

Let’s keep our eyes wide open and not take things for granted. Let’s appreciate the people we have in our lives. Let’s look after ourselves and those around us. 

Ants create a lifeboat in the Amazon jungle

Ants are so amazing!

You used to be a cockroach!

I am part of the Spiritual SOS team and last week, I and some colleagues had a stand at the Mind Body and Soul event at Kensington Olympia where we offered advice and support and also healing prayers free of charge.

The place was buzzing, music, smoke, smells, drums, chanting – there were all sorts there from health drinks to yoga and it was really busy. But something really shocked me. There was a woman who came to our stand to talk about some issues she was going through and she said she’d just visited a stand close to us and paid £35 for a man to close his eyes whilst eating a sandwich and tell her that in her ‘past life’ she was a cockroach and that was why she was going through the problems she was going through!

Now, I’m normally not one to criticise other people, but come on! Speaking to people who are obviously going through problems and then charging them to tell them they were a cockroach?!

But these are the kinds of things people fall for when they are desperate for help or looking for some kind of direction in life. There is a lack of thinking.

That day, I also spoke to a lady who was about to divorce her husband of many years because she said there was no spark anymore. She said she still loved him but things had become boring. But as we spoke, I opened up her mind to see that she was thinking with her heart and not her head, that she had started to look at all her husband’s mistakes instead of his great qualities. I gave her some advice on how to work with her husband on this and when I said that there were probably many women that would love to have a husband like the one she had – loving, a good father, faithful, a good friend, etc. it’s like the penny dropped and she said, “I know what to do now, you’ve just answered my questions. Thank you.”

Solving problems is not rocket science. It doesn’t require mystical rituals which can sometimes lead a person to getting ripped off and feeling even worse. It’s about looking at the problem and then thinking of ways to solve it. At times, you may need some help with it as I did when I was depressed. Yes, I was prayed for as I also believe there is a higher power that can help solve the things that are impossible for us, but what also really helped me was being lead to think for myself and to recognise that I had the power to change my life through certain decisions I made and attitudes I adopted. You have the power to change your life. J

Two of my favourite cleaning products

When you're very busy like me, anything to make those must-do tasks such as cleaning easier, is so important. That's why I just had to share with you my two favourite cleaning products. The first one is Viakal spray. This is great to get rid of watermarks on tiles and glass shower doors. Wet the shower or bath a bit, spray and leave for a few minutes and then just wipe. Everything comes off so easily.

And then there's the other fab product, Domestos Zero. I moved to a place where the guest toilet had lots of limescale and spent ages scrubbing, trying different products and even resorted to a pumice stone (as I read that this is great for removing limescale without scratching). It certainly worked but with a great deal of sweat and effort. But then someone gave me Domestos Zero to use and I was so surprised. You just squirt some on, leave for a few minutes (longer if scale is heavy) and then wipe off. It's sooo good and has made my life a whole lot easier. It's actually fun finding limescale and then zapping it away! Lol. Okay, that sounds really sad doesn't it? But you know what I mean right? Try them. You'll love me forever!

Why me? Depression and panic attacks

Why you may be unhappy

 

It's a wonderful life

I got chatting to a dear old gentleman once in Bristol and he ended up singing a Frank Sinatra song to me in the middle of a crowded town centre (embarrassing) but he had a really nice voice so I ended up inviting him to sing on my show a couple of times.

One day, just before Christmas, he came to seem me and handed me this DVD called It’s a Wonderful Life and a box of tissues because he said it would make me cry happy tears. I’d always heard of this film and it was one of the most popular films of its time but had never seen it. He gave me strict instructions to watch it on Christmas Eve. I ended up watching it over two months later but was very pleasantly surprised.

It’s all about a man who has given up on his childhood dreams of travelling the world in order to help others. He goes through very tough times and is just about to jump off a bridge to kill himself when an angel intervenes and shows him all the lives he has touched and how different life in his community would be had he never been born.

Suicidal people convince themselves that they should never have been born and they often think that the world would be a better place without them. This of course is a big fat lie. The very fact that they were born means they have the right to live and not just to live, but to live happily.

The fact that they even made it into this world shows that they have strength in them because do you know how many sperm there are in one ejaculation? Up to 500 million. So what were the odds of that person being born? It means they’re quite a fighter don’t you think?

But through the years, they go through various situations and problems and aren’t aware of that strength that is lying dormant inside of them. They don’t realise that inside, they have the power to turn their lives around. So many, tragically, decide to take their own lives.  

Whatever your past, whatever your present, you can decide TODAY that your future can be very very different. It’s never too hard and it’s never too late, for ANYONE.

Watch Natalie’s story of how she wanted to die from when she was just a child and how she managed to turn her life around – and then tell me, is it really impossible for things to change?

 

"I'm so fat!"

“I’m so fat! Look at the size of my stomach!” I complained to my friend as I opened a tin full of chocolates I’d bought the day before. “I’ve put on so much weight and my clothes feel horrible.” “Well, you should put that tin away for starters Chris.” “But I need something sweet. I've been looking forward to it!”

 

And on and on I went complaining about how much weight I’d put on but not taking any sort of initiative to do anything about it. I’m not a person to let things get too out of hand, but for some reason, I couldn’t get myself motivated to shift the pounds I’d put on. I would attempt to add exercise to my already hectic routine, I would manage a workout or two that week and then fall back into running around and working like crazy. In the meantime, my clothes were getting tighter and tighter and I was feeling more and more disappointed with myself… until I had enough. I had to stop complaining and feeling sorry for myself and do something about it.

I’ve always been a healthy eater but I do love my daily sweet treats whether that be a chocolate bar, a slice of yummy cake or a delicious dessert. But these things were not helping me at all. “Right!” I said to my friend. “Tomorrow, I’m going to start cutting down. I announced on Twitter that I wanted to lose a stone so it was public and decided that I was going to make time for exercise.

I mentioned my goal to our resident fitness expert on the Chrissy B Show Jane Wrafter of JCW Fitness and bless her, she offered to help me straight away. It’s funny how when we decide to do something, things start happening and help seems to come unexpectedly. One month on, I’ve lost a few pounds and I’m feeling great. I still have a little way to go and I’m determined to get there.

The thing is, we can waste A LOT of time just complaining about a problem or situation and as long as we’re doing that, we are wasting time on how to work out what to do about it. Apply this to any area of your life and you will find yourself having the time to put together a plan of action rather than boring people to death with your woes.

Find below two videos: the first one is when I first started the challenge and the advice Jane gave me (which you might want to follow too if you need to lose some weight) and the second video is my progress and more great advice that Jane gave me. P.S. I lost a bit more weight since the 2^nd video.

 

So. enough of complaining. Let's just get on with it!

 

 

What men DON'T want on a date

In a wheelchair because of him

As he was speaking, I was amazed at his attitude. Here was a man who had been stabbed in the back in an unprovoked attack and left paralysed for life, in a wheelchair. He was an aspiring footballer doing really well, a childhood friend of David Beckham, full of dreams and aspirations, and one drug-fuelled attack took all of his dreams away. What did he do? How did he cope? What does he feel about his attacker?

He used his head, something many people don't do, and by thinking, he was able to turn his life around and be happy. Take a look at his interview. You'll be so impressed...

The day I told him I liked him

I had terrible butterflies in my stomach and was wondering whether I was doing the right thing. There I was sitting in a café with my friend, just waiting for him to walk past so I could do something that I’d never done before. I’d decided that that was the day I was going to tell him that I liked him and that he was special.

“There he is” my friend said as he walked past. I felt sick. What if I was about to ruin a good friendship? What if he said he didn’t feel the same way about me? What if he told all his friends and I would end up being the laughing stock of the whole University? But for some reason, I still wanted to go ahead with it.

“Right, I’m going,” I said to her. “Are you sure this is what you want to do Chris? He’s not your type.” No, he wasn’t my usual type but there was something different about him. He was kind, mature, sensible and I felt good around him. We had great talks and I could see that he was the type of person that would treat a woman well.

“I’m sure and if I don’t do it now, I might never have the guts to do it.” “Alright” she said. "It’s up to you."

I ran out of the café only to bump into two other friends who grabbed me by the arm to stop me going after him. “Chris, don’t do it! He’s not your type at all!” Why on earth had I opened my big mouth to tell anyone? “Sorry guys, I’ve made up my mind.
He was just about to walk into the canteen when I tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Um…can a have a quick word?” “Oh hi Chris” he said turning around. “Sure”.

I was shaking by this point. I had to find somewhere private so I led him to a little alcove near the canteen where no one was around. He looked a little confused. “What’s up?” I froze… “W..Well, I just wanted to let you know… that … I like someone.” A big smile spread across his face. “Really? Go on then, who is it?” He thought it was one of his friends! He had no idea I was talking about him. Words wouldn’t come out of my mouth so I just slowly pointed at him. My arm felt like lead. “ME???!” he said loudly “You like ME?” Still, the words weren’t coming out so I went bright red and just nodded. He looked so shocked and I wondered whether I should have listened to my friends. “Oh” he said lost for words. How awkward. What was going to happen now? I stayed silent looking down and it seemed like forever before one of us spoke. Finally, I thought of something to say. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted to let you know.” “Chris, thanks for telling me but… I don’t see you like that. I see you as a really good friend.” And that’s how the conversation ended...

Many people live a life of regrets. They want to go for things in life but fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of all sorts of things gets the better of them and ‘What ifs’ drown out their dreams. ‘I want to start my own business but what if it doesn’t work out?’ ‘I want to ask that person out but what if they say no?’ ‘I’d love to try out a completely different look but what if I don’t like it?’ What if, what if, what if? But I say to you: WHAT IF IT WORKS OUT?

Living with regrets is terrible and can end up making a person very unhappy. So what if you try something and it doesn’t work out? AT LEAST YOU TRIED. At least you won’t be looking back in a few years at missed opportunities and feeling really badly about yourself. Of course, when we step out there and take risks, we will fail from time to time, we may look ridiculous, people may talk, but these things pass and are nothing compared to the emptiness and unhappiness we will feel for not having at least tried.

I felt embarrassed when my friend told me that he only saw me as a friend, but I was glad that I’d told him and the embarrassment lasted just a short time and I moved on. So I was quite surprised when two weeks later he called me to say that he’d been thinking about me and wanted to go out on a date. We’ve now been married for almost 15 years. Now what if I’d never told him I’d liked him?

Whoever said there was no cure for depression is WRONG!

People young and old battle with depression on a daily basis. I had it for 7 years and along with it, came panic attacks and a terrible temper. I reveal on this show what changed everything around for me. Whoever said that there is no cure for depression got it totally wrong. Check out the show and I'm here if you need to talk.

Relationship stress over Christmas

A big mistake women make in relationships

Tigers, Teens and Karen Millen

I woke up excited about my day. I was going to fulfil a childhood dream of feeding zoo animals, plus find out how this zoo helped a cancer charity, but there was more in store for my day than I realised.

Chris, a young man who had battled cancer and who also worked at the zoo was so lovely. Later, I would interview him about his fight against cancer and how the charity called Teens Unite helped him through some really tough times. He accompanied me on my adventure around the park and after an amazing experience of feeding lemur monkeys, playing with meerkats, and even feeding a tiger, it was time to visit the charity that he so loved.

I didn't know much about it but I knew it was run by Barbara Pezzani and Karen Millen. I remember briefly wondering if it was THE Karen Millen, founder of one of the high street’s best known brands, but thought it was probably just someone with the same name.

I was greeted by two lovely ladies. Barbara was bubbly and outgoing and got straight to showing me around the respite. Karen on the other hand seemed a bit shy and reserved.

I interviewed Barbara and asked if Karen could say a few words but I could see she wasn't very comfortable with it but she bravely did it all the same. Then one sentence confirmed that she was THE Karen Millen when she mentioned that her reputation helped with moving the charity forward. 

Later, we sat around a table and had a good laugh with Steve Director of Paradise Wildlife Park and flicked through a magazine that Karen featured in. 

What struck me was how this super successful millionnairess was so shy and didn't like the limelight. She said in an interview with MMM magazine, "I’m a private person. I would rather be behind the scenes and get on doing what I enjoy. I don’t like being in front of a camera or talking about it. It’s not something I feel comfortable with."  

It’s funny but you would automatically think that someone with her reputation would be outgoing, loud perhaps, even a little proud? But here was a lovely quiet lady, who just simply gets on with what she loves to do.  

So, it doesn't matter whether you are shy or outgoing, bubbly or quiet, do you have a dream? Do you love to do something? All it takes is to have passion for something and you can overcome anything, especially yourself.

Check out the video below of my interview with her and her charity partner.