Glimpsing Gembles

glimpsinggemblesblog

My name is Gem; a writing student, former nurse, and beach bum wannabe, sharing my thoughts on healthy foods, books, living with chronic illnesses and food intolerances, and all sorts of other musings!

2016 Booktube-a-thon TBR

I tried to take part in the Booktube-a-thon last year, but did not do too well! So I am excited to try again this year. The video that explains the challenges involved can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1UucWZ0Ylg. It begins July 18 and runs until July 24, 2016. The 2016 Reading Challenges: 1/ Read a book with […] Read more…

“The Tidal Zone” – Book Review

The Tidal Zone by Sarah Moss was published on the 7th of July 2016, and due to raving reviews on booktube (mostly by Jen Campbell at https://www.youtube.com/user/jenvcampbell), I made sure I downloaded the audiobook from Audible as soon as possible. I finished this in three days, and today, only five days after its release, I […] Read more…

“The Recipient” – book review

*spoiler free* Dean Mayes’ new book (which I received as an Advanced Reader’s Copy) is an extraordinary psychological thriller that eases you in at a well-paced speed, and then smacks you with every emotion possible on an epic whirlwind of suspense and mystery. And the twists, boy, will the twists claw at your insides! I […] Read more…

5 ways to deal with orthostatic intolerance

Orthostatic intolerance can be a part of various health conditions. I was diagnosed with postural hypotension as a child, and further testing later in life resulted in a diagnosis of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) (you can read about this here). Dealing with the inability to cope with orthostatic changes is definitely a trial and […] Read more…

Breakfast muffins

I am always trying to create yummy and healthy breakfasts or snacks, particularly in the form that can be reached for with no effort, and can keep well in the freezer for emergencies. These fit the bill! They are even yummy enough to pass as a dessert! Ingredients (makes 12 muffins): 3 chia eggs (3 […] Read more…

Date-free bliss balls

Bliss balls are the perfect bite-sized snack that can be a powerhouse of nutrition and is a great back up to have around for when hunger strikes! So many recipes out there contain dates, which people with fructose malabsorption avoid. I was determined to make a recipe without dates, and it was a surprising success!! […] Read more…

Goal setting with chronic illness

The hype of the New Year (“New Year, New You” and all that) can be motivating and refreshing. It can also cause alarm and self-deprecation. While one person may be swearing off chocolate and lacing up their shoes ready for a 10 km run, you may be reaching for the sweets jar and curling up […] Read more…