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

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

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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Which teas are good for you?

I am a tea lover.  Actually, I am a tea worshipper.  There is never a bad time for tea.  Can you tell I am English?

But, I am a Brit with a difference, because I am not going to be talking about a milk and two sugars cup.  I want to suggest you try some herbal teas, speciality teas and herbal infusions in your day.

I totally understand that herbal tea can feel boring at first, especially when you first make the transition and are used to a sweet, milky brew. However, as you drink more of it and allow your body to adjust to this new tea experience, you may find that it is better than you think.  Occasionally I will have a normal English Breakfast tea at a friends house when there is nothing else around and I still enjoy it (and it would be rude not to).  But, if I am at home I always have a wonderful selection of infusions that make a decision hard and every teatime different.

We are all told caffeine makes tea bad and this is true if you drink too much of it, because it mimics the stress response and unsettles our day and night.  However, small amounts in green tea and other varieties is ok and some caffeine free teas and herbal infusions are so fantastically good for you that we should drink them in abundance.

I am not suggesting you never have your normal tea, that would upset too many people.  But I do encourage you to mix and match your tea throughout the day so you get a variety of healing benefits and calming, cleansing reactions.

Here are my top five Teas/Infusions

1. Tulsi Tea: Holy Basil Tea

2. Yogi Tea/Bright Mood Tea

3. Fresh Peppermint from the Garden

4. Fennel from the Garden

5. Dr Stuarts/Detox Tea

Try some new teas today and eventually you will find a herbal tea that makes you go, mmmmm.  Or, if you think it all tastes like pond water, try fresh ginger in hot water.

Enjoy!

Josie.

 

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How Much Water Should I drink?

We are made up of about 60-70% water and our brains, amazingly, are about 80% water. It makes sense to keep our bodies topped up so that they function effectively. 

Water is necessary to transport nutrients around the body; if you are dehydrated your body cannot function effectively and extract what it needs from your food. Water also lubricates your joints and reduces toxic build up and tension in your muscles, think of it like oil in a car. It allows your digestive system to pass things through neatly and efficiently.  It is also responsible for protecting our bodies against illness by keeping all our bodily functions on form.

So, it makes sense that a lack of water can do the opposite. For a start, your immune system may be lacking. You may be prone to depression because lets face it, when you are tired and droopy things don't seem very manageable. The soft tissues in your body may be functioning poorly and may be prone to injury and its likely you will not be absorbing the nutrients from your food effectively.

Ideally quality filtered water is what you want to be drinking, but something is better than nothing and you do have options.

1. Herbal tea (I can hear you groan) is hydrating for the body. Some of them, honestly, taste really good.

2. You can add water to fruit juice to make it more hydrating, 5:1 is the ideal ratio (1 is the juice not the water!) Be aware that 100% fruit juice is not a very hydrating drink as you need a lot of the water content to process the sugar and carbohydrate. 

Sports drinks and 'sugar free' drinks often contain aspartame and other additives so I recommend making your own sports drinks by adding one part natural fruit juice, a small pinch of organic sea salt and four parts filtered water. Salt helps you suck up water into the body's cells and therefore increases fluid absorption. If you want more carbohydrate as you are doing a lot of exercise, just add more juice! It doesn't have to be complicated.


Josie.








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How to de-stress, lose weight AND work?

At an international detox centre I work with people who have hectic lifestyles and endless stresses - so I spend time thinking of ways to make a nourishing diet and lifestyle possible wherever you live. I advise people from all countries and climates with a wide variety of jobs and varying domestic arrangements and I can normally find something achievable for each of them as long as they are willing to put in a little effort.


It is unreasonable to try and change overnight. I think it is best to decide which area needs the most work and make one or two goals which are easy to implement; take baby steps. For example, if exercise is your weakness, decide to walk for half an hour a few evenings a week or go to the gym twice a week. Then, when you have achieved that goal, you can try to 'up that' to three sessions or add another form of exercise like yoga. If you do not manage your goal at first, ask yourself why?


1. Do not fall at the first hurdle, keep asking yourself questions about why, when, what and how it will work? Was it too much too soon? Was it too hard to get to the gym in time? Did you find it too hard to motivate yourself to do an exercise video - would a class with an instructor be better? Can you afford a personal trainer to get yourself going? Can you find a child minder to make time for yourself? Be your own lifecoach. Don't give up, ask yourself why and how? Try not to make excuses, instead attempt to find solutions.

2. If your diet is lacking, start by adding a green smoothie to your day, begin by adding good stuff rather than taking bad stuff out. Then once this is in place, add a salad once a day and take away something you know is bad for your health (e.g daily diet coke).


From my experience the best results come when you make a slow and steady change. It is so easy to lose motivation and slip back into old habits when you try to cut out EVERYTHING and try to do EVERYTHING. It is simply not achieveable and starts a cycle of 'I will start again tomorrows' and encourages feelings of failure and guilt. Horrible things, we want to avoid!


Tips for Fast Ways to Get a Nutrient Rich Diet


Superfoods - a little goes a long way.

Green Smoothies - prepare in the blender the night before and then whiz before work.

Supplements - a multivitamin to fill in the gaps.

Green Juices - before breakfast or dinner get your vitamin fix.

Raw Foods - keep snacks cut up in the fridge ready to grab.

Preperation - raw food snacks/brown rice salads in tuppaware for lunch night before.



Best of Luck.

Josie

Which diet actually works?

We are constantly bombarded with diet plans.  We could easily spend a lifetime of limiting this and cutting out that and as a result have a horrible relationship with food and probably feel miserable.

So what are we meant to do?  Who should we listen to?

I used to think ‘listening to your body’ was a good idea (and it is when you get to the point that you have cleansed your body and it is being honest with you - telling you what will make it feel good). However, most of the time people listen to their body when it has already picked up bad habits and is telling them they want sugar, fat and food additives, as that is what it has learnt to crave.  

So, rather than listening to your body at first, I think it is better advice to accept that what is right for one person is not always right for another and that you have to work out and create your own 'personal world of food' that suits you.  This is called bio-individuality - we all need different foods to suit us.  This should be a plan of food for YOU that makes you feel vital, energised, happy and shows in your skin.  This can take a while to get right, but I think it is better than jumping from one book of rules to another. 

1. Add foods and take foods away, don't throw one diet book away and buy another.  

2. Read books on nutritional advice and alternative health methods and take from each of them things that fit with you.  

3.  Knowledge is power, gather lots of it and draw your own conclusions. 

There are books on blood type diets, high protein diets, combining diets, low carbs, juices and smoothies, wheat and gluten free diets, calorie counting...I could go on.  There is some truth in most of them, but definitely none in a few of them. I think the best thing to do is start with a good detox or cleanse which strips away your cravings and leaves you with a clean start, a click of the reset button.  This way, you can start to add things slowly and can then make an accurate test on foods you suspect don't suit your body.

If you can get to a good detox centre or embark on a home detox after careful research then you are on to a winning start.  But this is not always available immediately so you have to start with the basics. I think it is always best to start adding good stuff as a priority, if you cannot take away the bad stuff at first, start adding good.  The most important thing is to get your nutrients from somewhere, so adding that all important green smoothie and boosting your current diet with salads and vegetables is the best step forward.

I don’t like to use the word ‘diet’ too much when working with detox guests (although I have used it endlessly in this post so far) as it has too many negative connotations with limitation and makes you feel like you are giving things up.  We are only human and I like to think that perfection is found in our imperfection and a point of balance is where we succeed.  

So, fad diets are everywhere.  I suggest you start by filling your belly with lots of colours and shapes in the form of snacks, soups, salads and shakes and simply not get too bogged down with all the fads.

See you soon.

Josie

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Surrender to the Smoothies

For the last year, since moving to Thailand, I have been a smoothie fanatic and my love for them has only blossomed as I try new recipes.  The best thing about living in this part of Asia is the abundance of fruit and veg to experiment with. 

I feel so spoilt here and am making the most of every tropical fruit available while I still can.  Mangoes are by far my favourite, I don’t think I could ever get bored of them.  The best thing is they never go out of season here on Koh Samui, which is just unbelievably fantastic (for me).  However, I don’t want to put you off by talking about a load of fruit you may not have access to.  Whichever country you are in, it will have its own special seasonal fruits that you can experiment with.

Smoothies are such a nutrient rich energy boost and can even replace a meal if you balance them correctly.  The green smoothie is a particularly jam-packed vitamin injection to try.  All you need to do is add 40% green veg to the blender and 60% of your chosen fruit, then whizz away. To start your day with a green smoothie is such a wise move.  If you include the dark leafy vegetables such as Kale or spinach it is a rich source of calcium and protein.  The fruit will support your body with live enzymes and vitamins in abundance.  If you add two teaspoons of flax seed (linseed) to the smoothie, this will provide you with extra protein, fibre and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  This is a great nutrient rich start to the day.  The key is to balance with protein and fat.

How to Get Started

The smoothie process is all about finding out what you like.  I have a couple of recipes below to give you an idea of amounts and possible blends, but it really is about experimenting.  All you need is a tabletop food processor/blender, a good knife and a chopping board. 

Start with fruit if making a green smoothie as this is full of water and blends better, the greens will then whoosh in with the fruit pulp easily.  Add the flax/oil and water at the end and be sure to blend until all flax seeds are broken.  If they are still intact your body will not be able to draw the nutrients from them as effectively.  When it comes to water, just add as much as you like to get the consistency you prefer. 

If you are already a keen greener, then add some herbs too, basil, mint or coriander go surprisingly well with fruit.   I like mine quite bitter now and add up to 60% greens sometimes.  It’s all about experimenting.  I would love to hear any ideas you have or recipes you have tried and loved.

Tropical Teaser

½ Small Papaya

½ Mango

2 cups of spinach

2 teaspoons of flax seed

1 tbsp coconut oil

Summer Berry Green Boost

1 cup raspberries

1 cup strawberries

2 teaspoons flax

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 cups kale

Happy blending, be back soon with some more ideas...

Best Wishes

Josie