DAY 4: Iron(wo)man

Varieties of heart-healthy, protein-rich lentils.

The doctor called yesterday to say that I’m in fact anaemic. No big deal. I guess I see it that way because I don’t view anaemia as a real illness. Sure you feel dizzy sometimes, but it’s nothing a few iron supplements can’t take care of, right? Or maybe I just have a really mild case.

Either way, it got me Googling -- now there’s an illness right there… Googling! I wanted to know foods I could eat that would help increase my iron levels. Turns out, two foods I ate today are perfect for that.

DAY 3: You say potato, I say sweet potato

Oats, anyone? I had mine this morning with cinnamon and walnuts.

What is it about McDonalds anyway? Their food looks like Michael Jackson’s face -- plastic (RIP, Michael). And it doesn’t taste much better than plastic either. But it’s like they put some sort of addictive additive -- probably just fat -- to programme your body to want it every time you walk past their giant posters of burgers.

That was precisely the dilemma I faced today. I walked past a McDonalds and I couldn’t help but stop and think about it for a fleeting moment. Should buy a greasy, calorie-packed McDonalds meal that I know will make my tummy smile, or should I go home and cook cauliflower soup that would make my butt happy?

DAY 2: I’m not nuts but I like them

My special nut mix, featuring pumpkin seeds, macadamias, walnuts and goji berries.

When I started this challenge, I knew one aspect of it was doomed from the very start. Winter‘s settling in in South Africa, which means no blueberries -- one of the most renowned superfoods.

I’ve just had to improvise, so when I couldn’t find any canned blueberries at the supermarket, I bought some blueberry juice for drinking instead. It’s refreshing and not too sweet, so you don’t feel like the only thing you’re stocking up on is sugar rather than any of the fruit’s antioxidant-y goodness. 

The Six-Day Superfood Challenge

Today I had 20 pieces of sushi and a few fork-fulls of chow mein for lunch, KFC chicken (with chips) for dinner and my favourite chocolate bar, a Kit Kat, for dessert. That’s way -- way, way, way -- more than my 6 800-kilojoule limit. Oh, the guilt.