How to use Hawthorn - Natures Heart Healer

Poor heart/circulatory health is a reality for many people and Hawthorn is natures answer - although it has been used for centuries, we seem to have lost our connection to these simple herbal remedies.

Hawthorn is a common hedgerow shrub/tree which often lines fields and paths in the UK.  Many people can identify it, but less of us know how healing it may be.  Hawthorn has been found to be a heart and circulatory tonic, improving blood circulation around the body.  It has also been linked to emotional support by calming and reducing anxiety.

The flowers (which blossom in spring), the leaves and berries (autumn) all have healing benefits and these can be used to simply make tinctures, syrups and berry leather.

'The great value of hawthorn is that, although is can have profound healing effects, it achieves these in a gentle and supportive way' Conway (2001)

Collecting and using hedgerow herbs/plants is becoming a lost art and discovering these plants again can be a lovely pastime.

http://shamanaflora.com/category/hawthorn/

Hawthorn Tincture Recipe (Julie Bruton-Seal)

The best tincture is made in 2 parts using the flowers and leaves in Spring and adding the berries in Autumn but can be done with either in isolation.

1. Gather the flowers and pack into a jar, covering with vodka.
2. Leave in jar for 1 month until leaves have lost colour and then strain and bottle.

for a mixed tincture...

3. In autumn but the berries in a blender with the hawthorn flower tincture and pour into wide mouthed jars.
4. Leave for 1 month then squeeze the liquid out using a jelly bag.
5. Bottle and label (this keeps for several years!)
 (1 tsp a day as a general tonic, 1-3tsp or as advised for circulatory problems)

Notes: This is not intended as medical advise. Always check with your doctor before using any herb.

References:

Hedgerow Medicine: Harvest and make your own herbal remedies. Julie Bruton -Seal and Mathew Seal

Hawthorn Affects on Atherosclerosis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24126122

Free food - Nettles are here again!

There is nothing more appealing than food that is free as well as healthy - but what if it comes with a sting?

Although they may seem a little unfriendly nettles are full of vitamins and minerals which are essential to good health including calcium, iron, vitamin A and D.  They are particularly well known for their ability to help the body detoxify as they are a diuretic and help the kidneys release waste.  This is a reason to avoid drinking nettle tea too close to bedtime - but a great reason to incorporate it into a morning routine as you prepare for the day with a detoxifying drink.  They are also anti-inflammatory so may help with allergic reactions such as hayfever.

It is best to harvest them when they are shooting out new leaves which is now (April/May).  Of course it is important to wear rubber gloves or gardening gloves to make sure you don't get stung.  It is also a good idea to avoid nettles on roadsides (to avoid polluted plants) or along the edge of the path (to avoid dog mess).

Here are a few ideas for using your precious shoots!

1. Nettle Tea - Simply add a few sprigs to freshly boiled water and leave to steep for 2-3 minutes.  If you cover with a plate while it cools you will retain all the healing benefits.

2. Green Smoothie - You can add nettles as a green in any green smoothie recipe.  A nice combination is to simply put kiwi, mint, nettle and pear in the blender.

3. Nettle Soup - This is a lovely recipe to keep you strong in the lead up to summer.  

Ingredients

½ carrier bag full of nettles, tops or young leaves
55g butter
1 large or 2 medium onions, finely sliced
1 large carrot, chopped (optional)
2 celery sticks, chopped (optional)
1 large garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 litre good chicken, fish or vegetable stock
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
3 tablespoons cooked rice or 3 rice cakes
2 tablespoons thick organic cream or crème fraiche
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pick over the nettles and wash them thoroughly. Discard only the tougher stalks, as the soup will be liquidised. Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the onion, plus the carrot, celery and garlic if using, until soft but not brown. Add the stock and pile in the nettles. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the nettles are tender. Season with salt and pepper, and with nutmeg if you wish. Puree the soup in a liquidiser with the cooked rice or rice cakes (you will probably have to do this in 2 batches). Return to a clean pan, stir in the cream and reheat, but do not let it boil. Check the seasoning, then serve, garnishing each bowl with a swirl of cream and a generous sprinkling of chopped herbs.
Enjoy!

Josie.x


References:

Nettle Soup is featured in Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's 'River Cottage Cookbook', published by Harper Collins, ISBN: 0002202042, price: 19.99

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19140159

Beat the January Blues with a Green Smoothie

January Booster

INGREDIENTS

2 cups kale
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup pineapple
1/2 cup mango
Juice of ½ lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
¼ to 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend kale and coconut milk until smooth.

2. Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.

Rosehip Vinegar Recipe

Rosehips are completely free and are best known for their extremely high vitamin C content.  This is the first year that I have got around to experimenting with them so I started researching the best methods of preparing them with 2 main objectives...

1. Preserve the vitamin C content by avoiding cooking (as with traditional syrups)

2. Find an easy method with no 8 stage* preparation instructions 

*Rosehips are renowned for their itchy hairs and at school they were called itching berries (we used to put them down each others backs).  Many recipes require you dry the berries  to extract the seeds and hairs - this one doesn't!)

So, with these goals in mind I found a recipe for rosehip vinegar and adapted it to make it as easy as humanly possible!



Josie's Rosehip Vinegar


Ingredients:

1. Rosehips - I used a standard sized punnet and managed to fill it. There are no rules here but simply the more hips you use - the more vinegar you need - the larger your jar must be. 
2. Vinegar - I chose to use organic apple cider vinegar because it has such wonderful healing properties so seemed like the perfect partner for my nutrient rich rosehips.  You could however use any vinegar you like.





Method: 

1. Take the ripe rosehips and cut off the hairy end, squidge them between your clean fingers so the centre (seeds, hairs pulp and all) comes out -throw it all into the jar.  Repeat this until your jar is fulled with a mash of rosehips.  

2. Pour your chosen vinegar over the hips so they are concealed (anything popping out the top could mould). 

3. Transfer your jar to the fridge so the vinegar can infuse with the rosehips (other recipes used a shelf or window sill but thinking of my goal of preserving the vitamin C I thought the fridge would be better) and leave to infuse for 10 days.

4. After the 10 days strain the vinegar through a muslin cloth and pour the sifted (hair and seed free) vinegar into a bottle. 

Delicious and nutritious!

Enjoy.

Josie.x

Hormones Detox Live!

Who is joining us for Hormones Detox Live this fall? All our clients (past and present) get $100 off on the Live program. Coupon code is "2014client", to book your spot go to www.HormonesDetox.com. We start on Sept 25th although detox day 1 is on Saturday Sept 27th (Saturday). 

Join us, this is going to be an awesome experience if you have not done it live with us before.

Excited to be kicking off another detox with my partner, Magdalena!

Josie.

Visit www.hormonesdetox.com to sign up.

The healing benefits of the common Dandelion.

The drawback of many healing herbs and foods is that they seem to come with a high price.  The wonderful thing about dandelions is that they are deeply healing and completely free.  Some people get confused about dandelions and think that the weeds that grow in your back garden are different to the healing herbs which are made into shop bought remedies - the truth is that they are exactly the same.  There are certainly more than one type of dandelion, but it is easy to look up the variety that grows in your lawn or flower bed and find out if it will make a good salad or not.

So which part of the plant should we use?  The great news is that the root, leaves and flowers all have their own individual benefits and can be used in different ways...

The leaves can be used in salads just like any other salad leaf or can be blended into soups
for a nutritious boost.  The flowers can be infused as a tea or can be added to meals to add colour and healing power.  The root is best used as a tea infusion once dried, but can be added to any broth or soup to add to its healing power.  For recipe ideas follow this link: http://www.eattheweeds.com/dandelions-hear-them-roar/

Dandelions are a rich source of vitamin K and provide 535 percent of the recommended daily allowance.   This is an important source of plant-based vitamin K which plays a role in strengthening bones, but may also play a role in fighting Alzheimer's disease by limiting neuron damage in the brain.  They are most commonly used to help the liver and have been found to aid in detoxification.

Dandelion greens are high in fiber, vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and are also a good source of vitamin A which acts as an antioxidant carotenoid beneficial for the skin, mucus membranes and vision. 

So, pop into the garden and have a look for any dandelion 'weeds' as they may be more valuable than you first thought!

Josie.x

Resources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23256442

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23256442

http://www.eattheweeds.com/dandelions-hear-them-roar/

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dandelion-greens.html

Summer Green Smoothie Recipe

The summer is a wonderful time to be enjoying green smoothies because there is so much fresh produce about.  I particularly love using berries as they are low in sugar but blend really well and combine easily with greens.  Smoothies are great as long as you balance them well with protein and fat to give a balanced nutritional hit.  Smoothies made with fruit alone or made with high sugar fruit (e.g. mango/banana) may disrupt blood sugar levels.  To avoid this aim to have 30% fruit and 70% green leaves/vegetables, seeds, nuts and oils.

Try my summer smoothie recipe!

Ingredients:

1 small handful of blueberries
1 small handful of strawberries
4 handfuls of kale
I tablespoon of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of ground flax seed
Water to blend.

Method: 

Starting with the fruit and a little water first can give the greens a better base for blending but basically you are simply adding all the ingredients in a blender and whizzing together until smooth.  

Enjoy!

Josie.x

How to beat stress with nutrition!

What is Stress?

Stress is a word which gets used constantly in modern life – perhaps overused in some ways – but there is no doubt that it is everywhere and is almost certainly unavoidable. Stress is in fact a very primal process – most of us have heard of the fight or flight response – which is our body’s reaction to a stressful situation.  It would have been triggered many moons ago when we were chased by sabre toothed tigers – but now the queue at tesco or work deadlines are the usual culprits. Pressure in moderate amounts is a good thing; it keeps us motivated and helps us perform.  It becomes a problem when we are under constant low level stress – known as chronic stress.  This type of pressure tends to sit in the background wearing us down slowly but surely.  

Stress and Nutrition

Stress and nutrition are intrinsically linked because stress depletes us nutritionally by using up vital nutrient stores and the wrong type of food actually causes our body physiological stress.  So...the wrong diet can actually deplete us nutritionally and leave us worse off!  And surprisingly this is not only McDonalds – some ‘stressful foods’ may not even sound that unhealthy!

The Adrenal Gland Link

Our adrenal glands sit above our kidneys and they are responsible for producing adrenaline and cortisol – our stress hormones.  These hormones start a cascade of reactions in the body which prepare us for the fight or flight reaction – our pupils dilate, sugar is released into our bloodstream for physical escape, our heart rate rises and we begin to sweat.  When we are continually stressed these small glands are put under a great deal of pressure to perform and in the process they demand large levels of essential nutrients.  When our adrenal glands are continually depleted they start to tire and this can cause our bodies to become out of balance...we may wake in the early hours and find it hard to settle again – we are sooo tired but we feel wired, then when we wake in the morning and we feel sluggish and foggy. 

This cycle often hits when we are stressed and then normalises - but in some cases of continual stress, we become more and more depleted until our systems force us to stop with something harder to heal with - such as adrenal fatigue, oestrogen dominance or a thyroid imbalance.

What can we do about this?

So, that all sounds a bit scary, especially if we have a stressful situation in our lives which we can’t put a stop to!  But be reassured that with the correct nutrition our bodies can survive stress and come out the other side without any long-term negative effects!  In fact with the right lifestyle approach we can actually use stress to learn, heal and come out stronger.

Boost the with Diet with Specific Nutrients

  

The three big nutrients to look at when supporting the body through stress are vitamin C, Magnesium and the B-vitamins.  

The adrenal glands use more Vitamin C than any other part of the body and if you are stressed the chances of you having enough to support their actions is slim.  Over 200 functions in the body require this vitamin so if you are stressed then supplementing is a really good idea.  It is vital for the production of cortisol and it protects against free radicals that are produced by stress. 

Magnesium is often called natures tranquiliser as it helps your body’s muscles to relax – again it is depleted quickly when we are stressed, so supplementing is a good idea if you suspect you are suffering from anxiety of tension.  It helps to calm the nervous sustem and remove lactic acid from muscles. 

The B-vitamins are a group of water soluble nutrients which release together in the body so need to be taken as a complex.  Insufficiencies are very common when the adrenal glands have been exhausted by stress and supplementing with them can help provide the nutrients needed for energy production and nerve function. 

Beat Stress with Nutrition! 

Josie.x

Stress Busting Bath Recipe!

Aromatherapy baths are simply the best

    On first glance this one always sounds so basic and a bit wishy washy, but aromatherapy baths are truly blissful at the end of a long day. Taking time out and allowing your muscles to relax, your mind to calm and your chosen oil to work its magic is more therapeutic than people realise.

So,  I am going to give you my recipe for a truly stress relieving soak. 

½ pint of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate - natures tranquiliser)

6 drops of lavender oil

4 drops of chamomile

Candles Optional!

Simply lie back and soak into blissful relaxation.

Enjoy! 

Josie.x

n.b. this is not just for girls!!  Sandalwood is a nice relaxing oil with a more masculine scent for those who need converting :)

The Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been getting lots of press attention recently and new research is being conducted all the time with very positive findings that suggest this may not simply the latest nutritional hype.  Several medics and researchers believe that deficiency is a key factor in today's most prevalent chronic diseases.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which is available in 5 different forms but you are most likely to hear about D2 and D3.  Vitamin D2 is derived from plants and is thought to be the most bioavailable form.  Vitamin D3 is derived from animal products and is present in foods such as oily fish, liver, eggs, butter and fortified products.  

Because we can synthesise vitamin D3 in our skin from contact with sunlight, it is especially important that we get outside.  A prescription of lovely foreign holiday springs to most peoples minds - but if that is not feasible then even a bright day in the UK is worth getting out in. Aim for 15 minutes without sun protection factor each day when the sun does decide to show its rays (although spring and summer sun in colder climates is only likely to be warm enough to be sufficient so a holiday is still a fab idea - and what a perfect excuse!).

So,  what are the top 5 reasons to keep on top of your vitamin D intake...?

1. Bone Health

2. Mood Enhancer (particularly with SAD)

3. Reducing the Risk of Cancer

4. Immune Health

5. Cardiovascular Disease


So, if you think you may be deficient after a long winter then consider a supplement to give you a boost and consider taking one at the onset of winter to get you through the darkest days.

Happy Sun Hunting!

Josie

Back To Blogging After Having A Baby!

After 6 months without blogging due to focusing on growing and then taking care of a newborn baby, I am now back to focus on nutrition and well being again (whilst taking care of a growing baby boy!)

Becoming a Mum is a fabulous shift and I have been pleased to discover that it does not mean stopping everything else that I am passionate about.  Ok, so I may only have 5-6 hours sleep a night at the moment (unfortunately broken up into 2 hours slots) but when my little boy is napping then 'me time' appears and instead of hoovering and hanging up baby grows, I have decided that spring is a great time to re-connect to all things nutritional again (the hoovering can wait)!

So, expect more rational nutritional advice and ideas about how to stay healthy in 2014.

Warmest of Wishes as the UK Spring approaches.

Josie. 

Changing with the Seasons - My Top Lifestyle TIps?

Although the end of summer brings a fear of dread into most, it is definately one of my favourite times of year.  The sun still shines high in the sky but as it sits slightly lower, the afternoon  light does magical things to nature as it dapples through the trees.

Although summer may feel as though it is drawing to a close, in the UK we have blackberries  hanging off the bushes in handfulls and a light cardigan is still enough to keep us warm when the sun is out.  September is a magical time as we realise that there is still a lot of warmth to enjoy and those who are brave enough can dip into the sea for a final soak (I must admit I have not done that since I have moved back from Thailands warmer waters!) but it is possible...which is the main thing to bear in mind! ;)

So, when it comes to diet and lifestyle, here are my top tips as we leave summer behind...

1. Squirell away the summer berries! Top up on summer berries and fill your body with vitamin C.  As vitamin C is water soluble it passes out the body within a few hours, so stocking up your freezer with fresh summer fruit is a great way to ensure the colder months are also full of local fruit.

2. Long Walks. This is a lovely time of year to connect to nature.  As the weather changes so do our own lives and we can reflect on what the more active months have brought us and decide on what we like to leave behind in this new phase.  A walk in nature is an ideal place to make these subtle changes.

3. Multivitamin and Superfoods.  The change of seasons does take its toll on the body so it is an important time to make sure you are supported nutritionally.  Ideally you should start enriching your diet with lots of extra raw salads, hearty soups and fresh fruit.  When time is short a good superfood powder or multivitamin will fill in the gaps.

Love the Seasons as each one brings its own magical changes.

Josie.

1 in 5 suffering from Anxiety and Depression? My five top tips for improving mood - with food!

When I read recently that one in five people in the UK suffer from some form of anxiety or depression I realised how little support there is for people nutritionally when it comes to controlling moods and feelings.  Although emotions often stem from incidents or events in our lives, our reactions to events may sometimes be caused by the foods we eat or the ways in which we eat them.

Almost everyone who comes to the clinic I work in is unaware of what they should be eating to stabilise energy levels and mood.  This simple advice can make all the difference to someone who is feeling low emotionally.  Sometimes this empowering information and knowledge alone can give an emotional boost.

So here are my five top tips for improving mood with food! 

1. Blood Sugar Balance.  If your blood sugar levels are fluctuating throughout the day then your mood will join them on the roller coaster.  Avoid caffeine, sweet snacks, simple carbohydrates (especially refined ones), fruit smoothies (always add protein and fat e.g flax seed and coconut oil). Try to balance your plate with 1/3 protein with each meal.

2. Vitamin D.  Research shows there may be a link between depression and vitamin D deficiency, no wonder the UK are suffering.  The good news is summer is on the way so get out in that sunshine for 15 minutes a day without sun cream - then whack some on to protect your skin for the rest of the day. 

3. Magnesium.  This is also referred to as our relaxing mineral, it may contribute to feelings of calm in the muscles and help to keep our mood more stable too.  Apparently 6/10 women are depleted in this mineral!  No wonder the day feels stressful!

4. Essential Fatty Acids.  Our brain is made up of about 70% fat.  If you are depleting your body of essential fats in the hope that it will help you lose weight?  Think again.  If your brain is not supported and your hormones cannot transport effectively around the body then your mood may suffer.  Choose oily fish 2-3 times a week, flax seeds and supplementation of high grade fish oils to get your quota if you think you may not be getting enough.

5. Hydration.  If you are not getting enough water, it is unlikely your body is getting what it needs to function and release toxins.  Adults are recommended to drink 1.5-2 litres of hydrating fluids a day (water, herbal tea, juice diluted (1-juice to 4- water), so get measuring! 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jun/19/anxiety-depression-office-national-statistics

Why the latest diet doesn't work?

The word diet is hard to avoid when discussing nutrition as your diet, essentially, is what you eat.  What we want to avoid is the type of diet which is based around restriction and centered on weight loss. 

The classic, 'promising latest diet fad' is the problem -this is the demotivating, self-torturous kind of diet which makes you feel restricted and almost always ends in yo-yo-ing back and forth from one scheme to another.  

I know from working in a big high street bookshop that the diet section is wide and varying with hundreds of different ideas promising you the perfect weight.  I also know that when the latest diet book arrived at the shop it was put in the window for a month (if that) before it was replaced by a new improved diet idea. That first book spent the rest of its life bunched in with the other diet books, waiting for someone to recommend it to a friend.

So, why don't these diets work?  They are not realistic.  They offer strict restrictions which are not appealing or motivating.  They often exclude important food groups which leaves you craving for foods which are not in your 'diet plan'. Most importantly, they were not created by you so they don't have your own likes and dislikes taken into account.  Or, they count calories which puts absolutely no focus on the type of calorie you are eating, or its nutritional content.  As far as calorie counting is concerned you could eat nothing but jelly tots but as long as you are below your point count for the day...? Pat on the back!

So what is the best way to get into shape?  Focus on health.

1. Firstly cut down on carbohydrates, but do not cut them out.   

Choose brown rice instead of white, brown bread instead of white.... Slow release carbohydrates such as whole grains help to balance blood sugar more effectively.  Balancing blood sugar is the key to maintaining a healthy body and weight.  For more on carbohydrates and weight gain, follow this link: 

http://therealfoodcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/why-is-sugar-bad-for-us.html

2. Don't cut out fats.  

We need fats as they are vital for cellular health and brain function.  Without the right fats it is impossible to lose weight healthily.  Choose oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocados. Avoid meat fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats (from convenience and long shelf life foods such as cakes, pies, biscuits).  For more on healthy fat consumption follow this link: 

http://therealfoodcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/fatit-not-all-bad.html

3. Reduce portions. 

Our portions have grown beyond belief, it is normal to have an overfull plate and feel very full after a meal these days.  Try using a side plate which is plenty.  Your stomach grows when you stretch it, but is shrinks back, so start to put less in it!

4. Snacking is good but be careful what you snack on.  

Choose protein combinations e.g. fruit and nuts, nut butter on oatcakes, hummus with carrots.  Protein stays longer in the stomach for digestion so you feel fuller for longer and your blood sugar remains more stable.

5. Avoid sugar and sweet drinks.  

Sugar gets turned into fats...and not the good ones.  Don't be fooled by 0% fat labels, it is a marketing ploy.  The body converts unused sugars into triglyceride fats and stores them on the liver and muscles.  Sugar is most definitely a bigger health enemy than fat. For more on sugar follow this link: 

http://therealfoodcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/carbohydrates-and-weight-gain.html

Choosing healthy guidelines and limiting the naughty foods to 10-20% of your diet means that you are in charge of your health and that your 'diet' does not need to be a short term thing.  It can be a lifelong way to stay healthy!

Good Luck.

Josie.



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Salad Recipe for June...Josie's Som Tam

I love salads, they are fabulous meals which can be so full of goodness that they tick every nutritional box. But not just any salad! Forget a few shavings of ice burg lettuce and some sliced tomatoes. I am talking about abundant, rich and juicy salads! 

Here is my recommendation for June: 

Josie's Summer Som Tam 

After living in Thailand for 3 years I still have a love for Thai flavours, so this British twist on the Thai's favourite salad takes me back to my days in the sun.


Ingredients

2 carrots 
1/4 cucumber 
4 french beans
1 Lime
5 cherry tomatoes
1/2 or 1 whole fresh chilli dependent on your taste
1 teaspoon honey
A handful of Cashew Nuts

Directions 

1. Get a pestle and mortar or a bowl and mash together the chilli, lime, cherry tomatoes and honey.  It doesn't need to be a paste, but make sure it is all well mashed together and the juice of the tomatoes is all blended with the ingredients (it should all look nice and juicy).

2. Grate the carrots or use a peeler to create long thin strands of carrot (whatever you have the patience and preference for).

3. Cut the green beans into inches.

4. Pour the salad dressing over the carrots and beans and mix it all together really well before serving on a plate.  Sprinkle the cashew nuts over the top.

5. Slice the cucumber and place it on the side of the plate as a garnish.  This cuts through the spice of the chilli if it starts to build up on you.

Enjoy! :)

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Why are nuts and seeds a healthy snack?

Not all fat is bad and a lot of it is very good indeed.  The essential fatty acids found in nuts and seeds (as well as the rich vitamins and minerals) are actually very nourishing and supportive to your body. The fats in nuts and seeds are completely natural and full of cellular support.  Our cell membranes are made from a water and lipid (fat) layer.  When they are composed of good healthy fats then cellular function will flourish and nutrients will pass easily over the membranes and stored toxins and old fats will pass out easily.  

If however, the diet is composed of a lot of saturated meat fats and man-handled trans or hydrogenated fats, then the cell walls becomes rigid and the healthy transfer of wastes and nourishing nutrients suffers. This rigidity can actually make losing weight hard, as stored fats cannot find their way out of the cell.  

Therefore snacking on healthy nuts and seeds, as well as oily fish and avocados, can actually help you lose weight and provide valuable protein (keeping you satisfied and provide a source of essential amino acids).  These healthy fats, especially the omega 3 fats found in flax and hemp seeds are anti-inflammatory and may help with joint disorders, skin conditions and support brain function.

So, next time you are wondering what to snack on, a small handful of unsalted, raw nuts and seeds may just hit the spot!  Always mix the nuts and seeds and use as many varieties as you can to give full nutritional support.


Enjoy!

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Are fruit juices and smoothies too high in sugar?

For a long time now we have all been led to believe that lots of fresh fruit juice and fruit smoothies are the best possible way to remain healthy.  We can buy and drink litres of the stuff and feel refreshed and proud for doing something so supportive and beneficial to our health. However, could daily intakes of juice and fruit smoothies be contributing to blood sugar imbalance and the associated health risks (diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity?)

The short answer is yes.  

Although fruit is crammed full of vitamins and antioxidants, when you remove the fibre and drink only the juice, the glucose takes an instant journey into your cells and gives your pancreas the job of regulating that glucose through insulin production.  Although smoothies retain the fibre, they still remove some digestive time and get that glucose into our system at record speed.  When we get too much sugar in one hit and it has minimal fibre, protein and fat to balance it, we often experience a sudden blood sugar low afterwards. This low can lead to mood swings, cravings and the conversion of more glucose within the body's supply (this can result in a rise in adrenaline and feelings of anxiety).

So are all juices and smoothies too high is sugar?  Not necessarily. If you balance your juices with green vegetables, you reduce the sugar load per glass and experience a more gentle and healing drink.  Green juices are much more healthy and also offer an even greater nutrient load.  In terms of smoothies, you can add flax seed, coconut oil, spinach or other leafy greens to the fruit and this creates a well rounded drink which releases glucose into the system at a much more regular rate.

So, don't kick juices and smoothies altogether, simply adjust your recipes to provide a more balanced glass of goodness.  Remember even some vegetables are very high in sugar, these are generally below ground root vegetables such as carrot and beetroot (always balance this kind of juice with green vegetables not more fruit).  An example of a very high sugar juice to avoid is carrot and apple.

Happy drinking!

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How can you heal anxiety?

Feeling anxious and nervous about life is a common symptom of modern lifestyles and so many people go through the day dodging various levels of unease with distraction.  These days we are on sensory overload and screens, sounds and advertising infiltrate us without us even trying.  This means that sitting with ourselves and focusing on our needs, is something which rarely happens.  

It is so much easier to put on the latest episode of your favorite programme than to sit on the sofa in silence and focus inside on your pain and your dreams and what you really want to do with your days. This means that so many people are pushing their feelings back down into the abyss of the psyche where they can fester for a while before they reappear to be dealt with or ignored.

If your feelings are constantly being ignored and pushed down out of sight, then sometimes they appear as simply a feeling without any apparent root cause.  This is a feeling of anxiety or panic.  A sudden feeling of not being able to cope or manage your day, or possibly even that minute.

This is much more common than people realise and symptoms of anxiety can be anything from biting your nails to full blown panic attacks.  The key here is to notice your behaviour.  Once you realise you are displaying physical or mental patterns of stress then you are already in a place of power to do something about it.  Once you recognise that you are suffering with stress then you can take steps to dismantle it, starting with the outside layers and moving into the middle to find out what is really going on!

Here are my five top tips to beat anxiety:

1. Exercise.  Getting yourself to the gym or on a long walk is a great way to release the build up of adrenaline which builds up during the day.  Sometimes adrenaline can make you feel panicky.  Take yourself outside and get some fresh air.

2.  Meditation.  This is a great tool for lowering your heart rate and finding a place inside yourself where you can relax and retreat, honing this skill is probably the most useful tool you can ever have.

3.  Chamomile Tea.  this wonderful herb has great carmative properties.  Drink this ito get a feeling of total calm and reassurance.

4.  Kick Caffeine.  This substance actually mimics the stress response.  Needless to say that if you are already feeling wired and anxious, this is not a good idea.  Switch to herbal teas!  

5.  Count your blessings.  Spend as much time as you can focus on what is going right in your life.  This is a great way of dispelling negative thoughts which can lead to anxious behaviour.

Everything is going to be fine, it always is in the end.  Finding a way to manage the times when you feel like things are far from fine, is a very useful tool in life and everyone will have a different pathway to get to that place.  Jsut keep trying different techniques and remember that life is a magical journey which goes up and down, the lows are always followed by highs, allow yourself to recognise both and embrace the roller coaster instead of fighting it.

Good luck!

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Adapting to Change - My Five Top Tips...

I find it fascinating that the most unavoidable of all life's conditions gives us the most anxiety; change.

As humans we enjoy stability and security.  Yes perhaps sometimes we like to stretch our legs and reach out of our comfort zone with an adventurous trip or a new adrenaline rich hobby.  However, unplanned, perhaps unwanted change can throw us completely out of kilter and leave us feeling utterly lost and bewildered. 

Life is a complex twisting journey which is a little like the books we had as children which allowed you to choose the destiny of your character and change the ending by making different options.  We might decide to move, to take a new job or to have children and this creates a new chapter with new risks, options and opportunities.  However sometimes we get something thrown in that we didn't bargain for. Or perhaps something we opted for has turned out slightly differently that we had planned or imagined.  This is the time which causes us to stumble a little and find it hard to make sense of things.  The unknown bears down on us and leaves us feeling out of control and anxious.

So, when this time appears and change rears its head at an unwelcome time, what can we do to get in 'control' of things again?

1.  Forget control. Unfortunately as much as we like to think we are in charge here, we can only nudge things in certain directions, we cannot create outcomes. So imagine you are in a boat and instead of paddling against the river you allow the oars to sink to the bottom of the river bed and allow the boat to take you where the river flows...you may end up enjoying the view much more!

2.  Breathe.  Such a simple technique, but it really does make an awful lot of difference.  When we worry about something our chest tightens and our breathing becomes shallow. The lack of oxygen can make it hard to think and even harder to relax. So taking a deep breath in and allowing it to slowly flow out can make the world of difference when change jumps out from behind a bush.

3. Think about the positives.  There is always a silver lining to anything which at first appears bad.  A redundancy can result in a new way of life and new career opportunities.  A divorce can lead to new love, new friends and new adventures.  A death can lead to acceptance of life's fragility and a growing appreciation for those you still have.  When change appears and it feels scary, spend some time writing down potential positives to the situation and focus on these instead.

4. Accept that change will always be here.  It is actually the only thing in life which is constant from birth to death!  

5. Look to others for support.  It helps to get other peoples views on new change.  They are often more able to see the positives in the situation and they can help you adapt by giving you reassurance.  Often it is easier to laugh at yourself and feel more lighthearted about things when you share them.  So don't keep your fears inside, they look much scarier in there!

Good Luck with changes and remember, you are not alone.  Change can be scary, but it always presents an opportunity for growth and new potential.

Warm Wishes.

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Beauty is NOT Skin Deep

I always raise an eyebrow at the well known saying ‘beauty is only skin deep’, because although we all know that true beauty comes from within, in our heart and spirit, I happen to know that physical beauty starts much deeper than the upper dermis.  

When we think of skin, we all have an ideal of a glowing, blemish free complexion.  However, most of us don’t think much deeper than our appearance and only see troublesome spots or red patches as a beauty obstacle.  A nutritional therapist will look at blemished skin and think, ‘liver? Gut? Lymph?’  The secret to looking good on the outside is very much a matter of being clean and functional on the inside.  A tired liver, a slow gut and a sluggish lymphatic system will instantly show in the face and body as a hunched posture, puffy eyes, dark circles and blemished skin. 

Seeking beauty from within will most definitely show as external beauty.  It may also result in a good mood, positive mindset and a skip in your step.  The good news is that by nurturing your body with fresh juices, green smoothies, abundant salads and plenty of water, you have a better chance of creating a shining, glowing vision of perfection with a lot less covering and simply more highlighting.  

A great tip is to increase your intake of fluids to 1.5-2 litres a day.  Choose mineral water, diluted juices and herbal teas and avoid caffeine as much as possible.  This is going to give your elimination organs a great deal of support and help you heal in miraculous ways, in the most simple of steps.  Drink up and enjoy feeling hydrated and happy in the knowledge that your body is doing all the good work of excreting toxins and plumping up your complexion.

Either way? Enjoy.

Josie.

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