anti-inflammatory

Cinnamon Spice – Superfood, Antioxidant & Sugar Cravings

November 8, 2017 By admin

Cinnamon has been used in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda and has long been revered it for its near superpowers, using it to treat things such as colds, indigestion and cramps, not to mention for its anti-clotting properties as well as attributes for the brain function and memory. These societies also believed it could improve energy, vitality and circulation. It’s no wonder Cinnamon is considered a superfood!??

Just some of Cinnamon’s benefits:

☘️ Among Cinnamons most impressive health benefits is impact on blood sugar and ability to improve glucose control. this herb can normalise blood sugar levels, helping to reduce cravings for sugar. By controlling blood sugar levels you can prevent spikes after meals.

☘️Ranks #1 with it’s protective antioxidant levels than many so-called antioxidant foods, like-for-like. For example, one teaspoon has as much antioxidant capacity as a full cup of pomegranate juice or a half-cup of blueberries.

☘️Over seven kinds of flavonoid compounds so it is highly effective for inflammation throughout the body.

☘️Studies have shown that it reduces several of the most common risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, and high blood pressure.

☘️Contains many antioxidants and it’s anti-inflammatory compounds that reduce the effects of aging on the body and brain – activates neuro-protective proteins that protect brain cells from mutation and undergoing damage.

? A natural anti-microbial, anti-biotic, anti-fungal, and anti-viral agent. The immune-boosting abilities are found in the essential oil.

☘️ Its naturally sweet taste, adding cinnamon to foods and recipes can help you cut down on the amount of sugar you normally use, thereby lowering the glycemic load of your meal.

Balance your blood sugar and keep your energy consistent all day

Sugar may be one of the reasons you tend to get energy highs and lows throughout the day, and the cause of your roller-coaster with energy – can’t get up in the morning and / or you get that terrible afternoon slump! So it’s essential to keep your glucose levels consistent throughout the day. How do you do that? The most important thing to do is to include the right foods at the right time (that’s a whole story on it’s own and for healthy eating guidelines for woman – READ more HERE

When adding cinnamon to your diet, daily, you can also make a big difference to controlling sugar cravings and the glucose spikes. Of course if you want to know why sugar makes you look older than you are – read more HERE What do you need to do to reap the benefit? manage blood sugar with cinnamon

By just having a ¼ or ½ teaspoon of cinnamon you can start lowering and regulating your blood sugar levels. Just remember that unless you’re adding it to a balanced healthy diet – high in vegetables and extremely low in fructose and grains – you’ll likely not experience any benefit.

Sprinkle cinnamon onto your whole grain oatmeal, cereals, yogurt, soups and sauces – even your smoothie! Simmer your favorite tea, coffee or beverage with cinnamon sticks or sprinkle with cinnamon powder, creating the perfect breakfast drink or bedtime nightcap.

To find out more about how you can have optimum wellness as you enter your 40’s and feel radiant have vitality, and energy to do all that you want to have radiant skin, calm any digestive issues, cope better with stress, anxiety and have much higher long-lasting energy levels.

You can make use of my Complimentary 15 minute phone call to get your questions answered Schedule Appointment

Bittersweet Chamomile – Medicine for the ‘brain & gut’

October 25, 2017 By admin

Chamomile – Why it’s way more than a calming tea

What is Chamomile used for?

The combination of essential oils and the bitter taste together make for a powerful ability to:-

– reduce any inflammation and promote healing, especially in your gut.

– a mild relaxant for the smooth muscles of your gut, uterus, bladder and respiratory tract

– excels at treating “nervous stomach”, which generally implies digestive upset alongside anxiety and nervous tension.

What makes Chamomile so effective?

Chamomile’s has a high essential oil content, that has a specific relaxing, calming effect on your nervous system.

These aromatic oils are also responsible for Chamomile’s actions as a digestive – relieving stagnation in the form of gas, gu

t cramping and mild constipation.

Herbalists – call it the ‘Mother of the gut’ as its bitter flavour gives it the distinct effect, it has one’s digestive system, increases the secretion of digestive juices and enzymes, also providing calming properties.

Why should you keep Chamomile in your herbal first aid cabinet?

A simple cup of chamomile tea is a wonderful healing tool use it to:

reduce gut inflammation, pain and cramping. It will promote healing of your gut lining and improving overall digestion.
And of course, reducing any anxiety that may be aggravating or triggering the gut issues in the first place.

I recommend you always have a box of chamomile tea as it’s an essential tool in your home’s ‘Natural First Aid Kit’ and you can use it for when you (or anyone in your family) has:-

Stress or anxiety
Nerves or a nervous stomach
Stomach ache
Upset tummy
Constipation
Inflammation
Insomnia

How will a herbalist use chamomile?

I will more than likely include Chamomile when I create a herbal formula for a client when they’re experiencing anxiety or stress along with any digestive disorders (ie a leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or dysbiosis).

A Herbalist will tailor your herbal formula depending on your specifc needs, with the correct dosage and combination of herbs.

You can make use of my Complimentary 15 minute phone call to get your questions answered

please contact [email protected].

12 Strategies To Improve Sleep Naturally

October 2, 2017 By admin

Sleep Glorious Sleep Nothing Quite Like It

Sleep deprivation – it’s a little like Chinese water torture as far as I’m concerned.

I simply can’t function when I haven’t had enough sleep. So that’s the truth.

What works for me in order to have a good night’s sleep, is to include certain foods, avoid others, exercise, manage my stress levels, avoid screen time at night and follow a few essentials in my night time routine – altogether these ensure (most nights) that I get the refreshing sleep my body craves.

What about you?

Once we were warriors. Now we’re worriers – anxious and stressed we can’t sleep.

You’re BUSY. This leads to stress and anxious feelings. A small amount of stress can be beneficial in limited quantities, but we’re talking about too much stress, which can have some detrimental effects on your health and well-being.

Stress causes hormones to be released, signalling to the body that you’re in immediate danger. It kick-starts a fight-or-flight response and boosts blood flow to your extremities to get you moving away from the ‘danger’.

Long-term stress causes an overload of stress hormones on your system. This can lower your immunity, lead to anxiety, cause digestive issues, increase your risk of heart disease, and of course contribute to sleep problems.

The body is simply not equipped to deal with prolonged periods of stress, so helping yourself to find the calm may be the missing piece to your health and wellness puzzle.

Even something as simple as taking deep, cleansing breaths from the diaphragm several times a day can help the body to recognize it is no longer in danger.

Research by the British Sleep Council found that 47 per cent of people find it difficult to get to sleep because of stress – and women are bigger worriers than men.

A third of American “undersleep,” according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report. That probably means millions are walking around (and driving) tired, it’s a wonder we are not all asleep at our desks.

Why is this a problem?

According to the 2014 CDC report:
Sleeping less than 7 hours per night is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, frequent mental distress, and all-cause mortality…Insufficient sleep impairs cognitive performance, which can increase the likelihood of motor vehicle and other transportation accidents, industrial accidents, medical errors, and loss of work productivity that could affect the wider community.

Stress. Overwhelm. Feeling frazzled. Do any of these words describe how you feel?

Sleep Better – Live Better

Adequate sleep depends on certain lifestyle choices, as well as having the correct levels of these hormones – cortisol, melatonin, oestrogen, progesterone, thyroid, and insulin.

The importance of a good nights sleep

Getting enough sleep is as important for your body as eating right, exercising, and practicing good dental hygiene.

If you are having trouble sleeping, you aren’t alone – about one-third of adults experience insomnia occasionally. If you suffer with any sort of sleep deprivation or broken sleep it can have quite serious effects on your health for example:

It’s the body’s time to recuperate – lack of sleep prematurely ages you, as your body produces less growth hormone that helps you look and feel younger.
It can really weaken your immune system
With poor sleep you’re body produces less melatonin which has cancer fighting abilities, research has shown in laboratory animals with severe sleep problems tumours grow much faster
It affects your metabolism making you feel hungry even if you’ve already eaten, which leads to weight gain. higher production of ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”), and too little leptin (the hormone that suppresses appetite, making you feel full), and you’re more likely to make poorer food choices, and eat more calories.
Seriously impairs your memory and concentration, sleeping only 4 to 6 hours—can impact your ability to think clearly the next day
Impair your performance on physical or mental tasks, and decrease your problem solving ability
It is also linked to heart disease, stomach ulcers, constipation, depression

Six to eight hours per night seems to be the optimal amount of sleep for most adults, the most rejuvenating sleep is obtained in the hours before midnight – try going to bed at 10pm

The natural way to better sleep

Sleep Hygiene

In summary here are some very effective tools you can use to help you manage your sleep issues:-

1. Try to go to bed at the same time every night. ‘Create a night-time routine with a few rituals to help your body, mind and nervous system relax.

2. Start with a relaxing Epsom salt bath with a few drops of real-lavender essential oil and spray your pillow with the lavender oil.

3. When you get into bed, try a few drops of Bach Rescue Remedy and take a good magnesium/calcium supplement combination. When you lie down and close your eyes have a calming place you take yourself to – visualise this and relax into this setting.

4. Get plenty of exercise during the day. The more energy you expend during the day, the sleepier you will feel at bedtime

5. Avoid large meals late in the evening.

6. Learn and practice a relaxation technique regularly: Breathing exercises, meditation and yoga are good examples.

7. Don’t obsess about not sleeping.

9. Foods – Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps to produce the hormones serotonin and melatonin, important for regulating sleep.. Foods rich in tryptophan: sesame seeds, fish, oats, turkey, lentils, eggs, bananas, gras-fed before lamb and beans.

10. There are also a number of herbs – Ashwaganda, Hops, Valerian, Passiflora, Verbena and Wild Lettuce – that have been used very successfully for sleep disorders Valerian sleep and to help improve your quality of sleep. Try them individually first and then perhaps in combinations; they’re available in most supermarkets or pharmacies. Try sleep pillows made of equal parts of hops, lavender, and chamomile and bath salts containing relaxing essential oils both help promote sleep.

11. While breaking bad habits are difficult, making lifestyle changes such as not having any caffeine after 1pm and avoiding back-lit technology (ipad, iphone, PC) after 8pm can have long term benefits for your health and your sleep. This blue light inhibits your production of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body and brain to feel sleepy and go to bed.

12. Bringing stillness to your mind – Meditation, stretching, Pilates and yoga all have their benefits in helping our bodies and minds relax, and can help prepare us for a better night’s sleep. Taking time out to relax helps to still the mind.

Most of us are over-stimulated and spend more time in fight or flight response than we should. Balancing the nervous system helps counter the stresses of our lives and environment.

Why see a qualified Herbalist? They can help you identify and address any underlying issues that could be causing your lack of sleep, and they are also able to use a wider spectrum of supplements and herbs (not available over-the-counter) to help you get that very essential sleep you are missing.

Sleep & Your Liver

You’re sleep, liver and detoxification pathways are also connected. What is the connection between sleep and the liver? Waking up at the same time every night between 1am and 3am, is your body’s way of communicating and is known as “liver time” in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).

Each organ has a time of the day/night where it does it’s thing. Your liver is one of the hardest working organs in the body and it works during this time of the night. For the liver to function optimally, remove any congestion and detoxify you’re going to have to ensure it gets the essential nutrients for both phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification paths.

As we become more aware that the subtle hints from our bodies actually mean something, our body’s clues can be very helpful and insightful to us.

Your liver is always working to detoxify the body, if you’re eating food with the essential nutrients you can optimise your liver function.

There are many ways you can support the liver and your sleep habits. Detoxing occurs naturally, every night when you sleep.

The 14 Day Easy Detox program incorporates some of these tips so that your liver can detoxify while giving your body the support it needs for a good night’s rest:

Drinking lemon water in the morning
Reducing toxins that overload your system
Choose foods from the brassica family (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts) for their liver supporting properties
Eat enough protein to support detoxification
Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and alcohol.
Make time for you, and what you enjoy doing.

Getting enough sleep is the single best thing you can do to stay younger!

Like anything we usually know what we ‘should’ do however it’s often harder to put these changes or new habits into practice without some kind of support.

If you’re looking for a gentle and effective way, that you can start to reset your health, make better food choices, improve your sleep, ditch your sugar addiction, eat clean and create a life where you’re flourishing.

I’d like to invite you to join us on the 14 day Easy Detox program all the details...HERE

You’ll get 30+ recipes, shopping lists and so much more. There will be daily support all to help you get the most out of this program.

I want to support you so that you feel less bloated and tired. Lose weight, focus on removing refined sugar and junk food.

So if you want to do your body good – boost your immune system, look after your digestion, support your metabolism, lose weight then this EASY DETOX is the place to start.

And once you’re healthy on the inside then, your ‘outside’ starts to shift too 🙂

You can join us and get access to my 14 Day Love Your Body EASY DETOX Program PLUS I have an early bird special offer, meaning you save 60% from the usual price and get the tools you need to change your health for a lifetime.

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Early bird offer ends on 6TH OCTOBER.

So are you ready to FLOURISH? We start 16th October.

Lack of sleep can ruin a lot of things, in addition to the long term effect it can have on your health.

If you’re tired of feeling groggy, exhausted and not having enough energy to do those things you love, then please make use of may FREE call to chat about your options – please get in touch at [email protected]

If you’d like more Vitality, Energy and Get Up and Go then this is a good place to start. This FREE EBOOK will get you started with 10 Ways to Live A MORE Dynamic Life – Click HERE and to get your copy now!

Gluten Could It Be Affecting Your Health

August 25, 2017 By admin

Is the Gluten Free Diet Just a Fad?

What is Gluten?

It’s a sticky protein found in rye, barley, and wheat kernels. Gluten (from Latin, “glue”) is a protein and it gives bread its airy and fluffy texture and dough its sticky texture. It’s used as a stabilising agent in many processed foods, such as salad dressings, soy sauce and mayonnaise. It’s in almost everything from beauty products to packaged foods to medications and supplements.

The prevalence of wheat products, especially processed and refined varieties, have led to a greater percentage of the population developing an intolerance or an allergy to gluten.

We’re no longer eating the wheat that our parents ate. In order to have hardier wheat that can survive drought, insects and grow faster, the wheat has been hybridised.

It’s estimated that 5 percent of the proteins found in hybridised wheat are new proteins that were not found in the original wheat plants. These “new proteins” are part of the problem that has lead to increased systemic inflammation, widespread gluten intolerance and higher rates of celiac.

In our modern world with the convenience of bread and fast food, we’re eating much more wheat than our ancestors ever did.

Why Would You Avoid It?

There are many reasons, for those with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder it affects the small intestine lining and can lead to severe malnutrition and digestive problems, consuming too much gluten can damage or irritate their bowels. People diagnosed with celiac disease must be very careful to limit or completely remove gluten from their diets.

Gluten intolerance is now 30 times more prevalent than celiac disease and affects 1 in 7 people, who tested negative for celiac disease.

People of European are more likely to have gluten intolerance or celiac disease in their families.

How does gluten affect your gut and cause intestinal permeability or leaky gut?

Regulating your intestinal permeability is one of the basic functions of the cells that line your intestinal wall. In people sensitive to gluten it can cause the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart the tight junctions holding your intestines together.

When your meal reaches your gut, an enzyme (tTG) is produced in your intestinal wall that breaks down the gluten into its protein building blocks, gliadin and glutenin.

As these proteins make their way through your gut, the immune system in your gut, reviews them for potentially harmful substances. In people who have no issues with gluten, the proteins are absorbed.

In those with gluten sensitivity, the gut identifies gliadin as a dangerous substance and produces antibodies to attack it. In celiacs, these antibodies don’t just attack the gliadin, they attack the enzyme (tTG) as well, which is what originally broke down the gluten into its two parts.

Once these tight junctions in the digestive system get broken apart, it becomes a leaky gut. This then allows toxins, microbes, undigested food particles and antibodies to escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. The antibodies that escape are the ones that your body produced to attack the gliadin in the first place.

It’s these antibodies that can end up attacking other organs and systems, from the skin to the thyroid to the brain. This is why gluten intolerance is now being linked to autoimmune conditions and why those with celiac disease are at risk of developing a second autoimmune disease.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance include:-

Low immunity – Consistently runny nose and sneezing
Skin – eczema, acne, psoriasis, hives
Digestive disorders – IBS symptoms diarrhoea, abdominal bloating, sluggish bowel movements
Headaches
Difficulty losing weight or unexplained weightloss
Joint pain
Extreme fatigue
Hormonal imbalance – irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain or loss, hot flashes, low energy levels, erratic sleep
Anxiety, low mood and depression
ADHD
Brain fog
Autoimmune disease – Rheumatoid Arthritis, Vitiligo, Type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s dx, Multiple Sclerosis

If you’re already experiencing these types of symptoms, first consult a health professional rather than diagnosing yourself.

The bottom line is that gluten sensitivity can affect processes in the body beyond the digestive tract, wrecking havoc on your skin (our largest organ!), joints, bones, mouth, endocrine system and more.

Your myriad of symptoms that don’t make sense to the doctor may mean that they’ve no clue that you’re reporting back to them the signs of gluten sensitivity.

There are long standing beliefs that consuming gluten can also aggravate some existing autoimmune system diseases that you may already be experiencing. This includes multiple sclerosis, eczema, Crohn’s disease, and a lot more.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that consuming gluten is the root cause of the disease: rather, it exacerbates these existing conditions, contributing to flare-ups.

There is also evidence that consuming gluten can add to overall body inflammation that leads to other side effects, such as joint pain, depression, and fatigue.

Thyroid – Hashimoto’s & Graves Disease

There’s just no question that many people that have Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism have gluten sensitivity. For some patients, it’s life-changing when they go gluten-free.” Dr. Datis Kharraziac.

The health of someone with non-celiac gluten sensitivity can improve significantly when it is eliminated; for example a woman who struggled in vain for nearly a decade to lose weight, lost 40 pounds easily when she cut gluten from her diet. This of course does not mean that if you give up gluten you’ll automatically lose weight.

So, What Does it Really Mean to be Gluten Free?

Being gluten free means eliminating gluten foods or products from your diet. Following any type of diet is challenging but adhering to this diet can be even more difficult. But with patience, time, and some creativity, you can find ways to effectively substitute gluten free products and still enjoy the taste of your food.

Being Gluten Free Is Not Just About Giving Up Pasta and Bread

Experts also recommend paying close attention to your fiber intake; a diet loaded with vegetables, fruits, quinoa, and many other non-gluten grains should do the trick. Individuals are also advised to take multivitamins to ensure that they are getting sufficient vitamin D.

These days, more and more food manufacturers are providing gluten-free alternatives of their products, from bagels up to pasta. However, the prevalence has led to a lot of misconceptions. The term “gluten free” is widely linked with being healthy, but often in the sense of a dieting fad. Not everyone stops to think about what gluten free really means and why individuals should or should not eat certain foods.

Many foods are naturally gluten-free, such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, fresh meats, and some dairy products. To be gluten free means avoiding bread, desserts, pasta, cereal, beer, and many other foods on an extensive list.

Can Anyone Really Go Gluten-Free?

There is really no serious danger in eliminating gluten. However, if you are eliminating a particular ingredient, take some precaution and be careful in replacing this ingredient. Experts recommend sticking to foods that are naturally gluten-free like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and dairy. However, double check labels for sugar and sodium content.

Do You Need to Give Up Eating Cereal, Bread, and Pasta?

Definitely not! Fortunately, there is a wide range of products available these days that are good and delicious substitutes for gluten-based products. Although these products were once only found in specialty health food stores, most of these products have now gone mainstreams and can be found in most grocery stores. Although these products may differ in texture, taste, and consistency, you will no doubt be able to find some that suit your taste buds.

Gluten shows up in unexpected places, like in foods containing soy sauce, which often contains hidden traces of wheat. Gluten is also found in potato chips, hot dogs, candy bars, lunch meats, prepared eggs, and salad dressings. Since the lists of ingredients do not usually include the term “gluten,” it can be tricky to spot unless package specifically indicates that it is gluten free.

You want to avoid things that say, “malt flavor” or “malt extract.” Experts have also found gluten in rye, barley, wheat, and brewer’s yeast. Even if these foods are labeled with “gluten free,” they might contain gluten due to cross contamination.

Avoid self-diagnosis; if you believe that gluten is the cause of your health issues. If you’re following the advice of a doctor for any type of gluten-sensitive disorder, then you should also consult a health care practitioner to help you plan your meals.

The Challenge

Eating out is very tricky because you generally don’t have any idea about the ingredients of your dish. But, it is easy—and becoming more common—to ask your server to find out if any barley, wheat, or rye has been used in your requested dish. Another challenge is learning more about food additives that contain gluten or wheat such as couscous, food starch, brewer’s yeast, and spelt bran.

The good news is, many of today’s eating establishments and food stores provided excellent offerings and food labels in response to the growing number of people who have decided to go wheat-free or gluten-free for a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Testing for Gluten Intolerance

The of the best way to determine your sensitivity to gluten, is to use avoidance and provocative testing i.e. the elimination diet. You eliminate all gluten sources in your diet for 30 days and then try adding it back to see if symptoms re-occur.

Food intolerances differ from full-blown food allergies so antibodies may not show up in blood tests.

Keep a log of all the food you eat and the symptoms you might experience for a few weeks. After eliminating gluten, the suspected food is eaten to see if symptoms re-develop. In some cases, people are able to gradually build up their tolerance to foods that previously bothered them.

Final Thought

Bottom line the wheat plant has changed due to the demand on production and we’re also consuming far more gluten than our bodies were ever meant to. It’s about knowing your body, what works for it and what doesn’t.

You may have been struggling with low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight, you might have tried a number of diets and strategies that haven’t worked for you.

I know how frustrating this can be, and how confusing it is to try to make sense of all the conflicting nutritional information out there.

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Click HERE 5 Foods that will boost Your Energy Levels and Help You Lose Weight Naturally.

Wonderful Ginger – so much more than an anti-nausea remedy

August 12, 2017 By admin

Ginger a wonder botanical medicine

Ginger, has been cultivated and used medicinally since antiquity and is used throughout the world as a medicinal agent, from the traditional medical systems of the west, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa and South America.

It’s from the same family as turmeric, which possible explains its amazing benefits. The medicinal benefits come from the pungent gingerols and shogaols, and they account for the majority of ginger’s health benefits acting as a highly potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

Gingerol, has been thoroughly evaluated clinically, and the research backs up why you should use this herb on a regular basis.

Top 8 Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is a mainstay of traditional medicine with powerful benefits for just about every system in the body. Research shows it’s effective in several health conditions and that it is a multi-faceted remedy:-

1) The best-researched use of ginger is in combating nausea, cramping and vomiting, by neutralising stomach acids and stimulating the production of digestive juices.It has powerful anti-inflammatory botanical hence it’s effectiveness in relieving digestive irritation. Use it to treat your stomach ache (especially when due to undigested food), poor appetite, dyspepsia, flatulence and nausea.

2) Heart health – It can help to lower high blood pressure and keeping the blood thin in higher doses.

3) Ginger root contains compounds called gingerols which, studies say, help calm down the inflammatory “heat” that triggers swelling and discomfort in joints, muscles and other tissues.

75% of Rheumatoid Arthritis and osteoarthritis patients experienced relief in pain and swelling, and all patients with muscular discomfort experienced relief of pain – in an uncontrolled clinical study using dried ginger.

Being a warming circulatory stimulant ginger increases circulation to the affected joints and enhances the effectiveness of other anti-inflammatory’s in a formula.

ginger2

4) Poor Immune and respiratory health – it’s an anti-viral and makes a warming cold and flu remedy. In addition, this root is a natural decongestant and antihistamine, and is often included in herbal cold and cough preparations.

In Ayurvedic medicine it is used for the immune system because it is so effective at warming the body, it can help break down the accumulation of toxins in your organs. It’s also known to cleanse the lymphatic system preventing toxins from accumulating so that your less susceptible to infections.

5) It has anti-pain properties by lowering the body’s production of prostaglandins (hormones involved in inflammation).

6) Poor digestion and malabsorption – if your body is not digesting or assimilating nutrients correctly you will end up with nutrient deficiencies. This is why ginger is so important. As we age our digestive ‘fire’ also decreases, try some fresh ginger just before a meal to stoke your digestive fire and support a healthy gut!

7) Fungal infections are increasingly resistant to conventional medicine, of the 29 plant species evaluated in a University study, ginger won the prize for having the extract most effective at killing fungus.

8) Researchers have found that compounds in ginger interrupt the cycle of cancer cell development—in a sense, throwing a spanner into the gears of the tumour machinery. Ginger oils provide compounds that interrupt inflammatory triggers that can cause the development, growth, and spread of tumors.

How To Use Ginger For Maximum Benefit

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In India, ginger is liberally used in daily life. Ginger-infused Chai is a household favourite.

On dining tables in India, you’ll see fresh ginger that’s turned a soft pink from being soaked in lemon juice and salt: a zingy accompaniment to any cooked meal.

You can grate it up and squeeze it into a hot tea (this is my favourite), add it to juices, baked goods, smoothies and more… experiment and have fun.

For a powerful anti-fungal, mix several drops of pure ginger essential oil with tea tree oil with one teaspoon of coconut oil, and apply up to three times a day.

Herbalists frequently add ginger to herbal formulas, as it’s known to play a role in increasing the bio-availability of other substances and it’s actions – Clears Heat & Toxins.

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Broccoli and Potatoe Soup

May 8, 2017 By admin

Broccoli Soup

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4 cups salt-reduced vegetable stock

400g/14oz potatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped

450g/1lb broccoli, cut into florets

2-3 handfuls of baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup light sour cream (optional)

1 tablespoon store bought basil pesto / homemade

METHOD

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat with the olive oil.

Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned.

Add stock and potato to the saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add broccoli and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat, add spinach and stir until wilted. Leave to cool slightly so you can blend. This might take up to 15 minutes.

In a blender add basil leaves and half of the soup mixture and blend until smooth. Pour into a clean saucepan and repeat until all the soup mixture has been blended into a smooth consistency.

Heat soup over medium heat for 2 minutes or until just before boiling point.

Combine sour cream and pesto in a bowl. Divide soup among bowls. Top with pesto cream and serve. For vegan option, simply top with a half teaspoon of the basil pesto and omit the sour cream.