Boost immunity!

Autumn is a great time to boost immunity!

A healthy immune system is very important for every aspect of health and wellness.The immune system is the body's army, fighting off and keeping out invading enemies. If the immune system is not strong to work properly acute's and dis-eases may occur.

We do not 'catch' a cold, a flu, a 'bug' of some sort. We manifest these acute's only if our internal environment is too toxic. Over toxicity in the body depletes immunity - we are then prone to manifest a cold, flu, etc. The body uses a cold, flu or any other acute to spell extra toxicity out of the body as the body does not tolerate being toxic or acidic for long. Ideally, the body likes to be mainly alkaline: 80% alkaline and 20% acidic! Aware of this, it is important to support the immune system, specially over the transition of seasons, when there is a big rebalancing and readjusting of the body in preparation for the new season ahead (autumn to winter, for example).

Support and boost your immunity with:

* Rest: Rest is a fantastic way to allow the body to spend its energy where it needs to - healing.
We naturally want to work less in Autumn and especially over the Winter months. Listen to your body. Take a day off, mid week. Half a day will do! Go to sleep a couple of hours earlier.

* Being happy: sounds easy, ha!? Being happy does not mean being in a constant state of excitement but feeling positive about your life most of the time. With practice and effort you can develop your ability to be happy. 'Its said the life is a series of events, and it is the meaning that we take from these events that determine how we feel about them'. Alison

* Foods and herbs:

. Orange foods: sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, pumpkins -
they contain the beta-carotenes to fight infection.

 . Dark Leafy Greens: kale, spinach, beet greens, mustard greens, lettuce, Swiss chard, cress - wonderful to fight off anything that threatens to compromise your immunity.





. Shiitake mushroom it helps to treat colds and flu, poor circulation and exhaustion.

 . Ginger it stimulates circulation and as well as garlic, lower cholesterol and prevent blood clotting

. Warming and spicy chillies  - pepper fights bacteria and
stimulates digestion

. Echinacea is a well know herb for its immune boosting properties. You can buy tea bags and drink it everyday for a couple of weeks.

. Astragalus Root is a Chinese herb traditionally used to prevent flu and other respiratory infections.

. Cinnamon - aromatherapists believe that smelling cinnamon improves mood, vitality and concentration. Cinnamon and fresh ginger tea, perfect!

 . Apples 


. Berries Blueberry and Acai, packed with antioxidants: anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

.Vitamin C found in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, parsley, leeks, apples, broccoli. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps massively to boost the immune system, especially when under stress as we loose a lot of vitamin C when under stress.

Include this foods to your diet, specially throughout the Autumn and Winter months.

If you do manifest a cold, a flu or a stomach 'bug' be happy about it! It can be very annoying at times but think of it as being a natural way for the body to get rid of toxins. The body knows what it needs to do to keep us healthy, we just need to support it with the right materials. 

Health & love,
Carolyne

* When using herbs, always consult a herbalist or someone with good knowledge. Herbs are very powerful and should be used with respect. 

Autumn yummy recipes!

Ohhh... Autumn is such a pretty season!

Being here in the countryside in North Wales for this season has been a fantastic experience: to watch the leaves turn yellow, orange and red, then watch them leaves turn more of a brownish colour and finally, to slowly fall down. The grounds are getting covered with leaves now. The winds have been blowing strong since last weekend.

this is my in laws' beautiful autumn garden!

when the sun is out, its just fabulous!!!

I have been indulging myself with loads of fruits and vegetables of the season:

Mangtout: raw in salads and added to stir-frys.
Pumpkin and butternut squash: I have made this deliciously simple soup with mainly butternut squash and a small piece of pumpkin and added coconut milk, turmeric, onions, chillies and lime.
Potatoes, Leeks, Onions and garlic, Mushrooms, French beans, Courgettes, etc.
Potato and leek soup - an English classic!
Pears, apples, plums.


Some ideas for you to try:

. Roast parsnips, butternut squash and sweet potato with olive oil, honey and thyme.
. Cut butternut squash in small cubes, roast then add: to watercress and feta for a fab salad!
. Make a delicious earthy vegetable casserole with potatoes  carrots, parsnips, tomatoes  peppers. Add some paprika, chillies and cumin. You can also add some beans. Bean casserole - tchan tchan!

. Porridge! Yummm... be creative with your porridges:
- Add dates and almonds to it.
- Great an apple on top of your porridge add some cinnamon and chopped nuts of your choice.
- Remember to make your porridge with water. You can add any nut, seed or coconut milk to it after.
- Sprinkle cacao nibs, dried coconut flakes and some agave syrup.
- Simply add organic honey.


Indulge yourself with healthy meals.


















Health & Love,
Carolyne

Autumn is here!

Autumn is the season of harvest, a time when we start to go inward and gather together on all levels, a time to store up food, fuel and warm clothing, a time to think, perhaps study and plan for the soon coming stillness of the winter. In nature, everything moves its energy inwards and downwards. Leaves and fruits fall. Green grasses turn into lighter and drier colours. Those enchanting yellow, orange and red colours are everywhere!

The forces of Autumn create dryness in Heaven and metal on Earth; they create the lung organ and the skin upon the body... and the nose, and the white colour, and the pungent flavour...the emotion of grief, and the ability to make a weeping sound. 
 - Inner Classic


The autumn is the time to be more focused on preparation of food to obtain the energy required for the cooler months ahead. Soups, grains and loads of earthy vegetables come in play, hotpots, roasts... Play with the vegetables and fruits in season: apples, damsons, pears, plums, chestnuts, elderberries,blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, artichoke, aubergine, beetroot, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, celery, courgette, fennel, garlic, kale, leeks, onions, potatoes, turnips, watercress, celeriac, kohlrabi, pumpkin, jerusalem artichoke, parsnips, chicory, beetroot, cauliflower. 

In Chinese medicine Autumn is the season of  the metal element and the organ represented are the lungs and the large intestine. Here are a few words associated with the Autumn/Metal. Take a look at them and observe yourself and the others around you! Can you recognize any symptoms? This may indicate balance and/or imbalance

Reflective             Spiritual and mental nourishment             Heavenly father providing the chi                     the ability to let go - to grief  life or someone
Colours                Pure                                       Cold                                    Blocked
Valuable               Perfectionism                         Precise                                 Congestion
Sharp                   Strength                                 Structure                              Materialism
Hard                    Shiny                                      Connection/Network within our body
connectedness in a spiritual level - if imbalanced, feeling of disconnection    
                
colour: white-pure/ high expectations
lungs: the way we take in pure chi energy and are connected to the Universe and each other.
large intestine: the way we get rid of what we don't need.
illnesses: asthma, skin issues like eczema. IBS, constipation, a flamy cough/ mucous, weeping eyes...  

Let's explore Autumn and the Metal element. Here are some ways you can start exploring:

* Keep observing what is happening in nature. How does the first day you felt Autumn make you feel or made you feel?

* Notice how connected you feel, are you in touch with how your body feels in relation to seasonal changes, the planets and the food you eat? Are you aware of what you need to give quality and meaning to your life emotionally and  spiritually? The metal element gives us the clarity and strength we need to see these so we can begin to get the best for ourselves. Maybe use your favourite meditation or piece of music to spend some time connecting with the wonderful essence that is within you.

* Explore the emotion of grief, remember or imagine a loss, this could be the loss of a person, a relationship, a dream, leaving a job, moving houses... anything that involves reflecting, moving on and saying goodbye. When you feel you grasped the emotion reflect on where you feel on your body, how your energy feels and what helps you moving out of the emotion.

* Enhance your minerals - notice how many vegetables you eat and if possible increase your intake of vegetables. Ahhh!!! This is a great time of the year to introduce sea vegetables into your soups, hot pots - they are full of minerals! 

Health & Love,

Carolyne 

Nutritional Talks in Brighton

Come and join me!

Enjoy your summer season!

Ideas  for your summer days:

* Create a space in your day to spend a regular amount of time in natural sunlight.

* Sunflowers love the sun - the flower heads follow the sun's path through the sky. Snack on sunflower seeds, which contain essential fatty acids, zinc, iron, calcium and a high level of B complex vitamins, specially B5 which nourishes the adrenal glands in the body, and helps alleviate stress.

* Celebrate the midsummer by visiting a favourite place in nature to watch the dawn and rise and/or meditate.

* Run barefoot early in the morning. I did it this morning by Brighton beach. It was great! 

* Prepare a picnic with foods that have absorbed the light energy of the Sun and spend time nourishing your body with light form inside out.

* Make a green juice everyday. Mix and match with celery, cucumber, spinach, parsley, lemons, fresh wheat grass, ginger... you can add half and apple or pear - sprouts... Play wit it! Its is fresh and nutritious!

* Have loads of fun!

Remember to drink plenty of water. We need a minimum of 2 litres of water a day just to carry on with our bodymind daily tasks - if you are all day out in the hot sun, drink more fresh water. Hydrate yourself!

Love & Health,

Carolyne

Summer time...

Summer is here even with all these grey and rainy days in England, it is summer!!!
The sun will appear again.



" Our task is to take in light (when we have it!) so that we may merge with our true selves and our destiny, thus facilitating the healing of the planet. As each of us becomes whole we radiate light - light from within - unimpeded by our self imposed emotional and physical blocks".    Jacob Liberman


Summer is a period of abundant growth. 

Expansion  -  Growth  -  Lightness
Outward activity  -  Brightness  and  Creativity








Summer foods:

Use loads of colourful summer fruits and vegetables and have fun creating beautiful meals. Use flowers to eat and decorate your plates and table.
Serve cooling fresh foods like salads, sprouts, cucumbers, fruits. Apples, watermelon, lemons and limes are best cool summer heat.
Eating heavy meals on hot days cause sluggishness. Such foods as nuts and seeds in excess, dairy, meat and grains. Well, with our weather here in England we can play with it. Eat more fresh foods for sure, specially in hot days and in the grey ones, add grains like quinoa, amarranth and brown rice to our salads. 

To be more comfortable on very hot days, drink more warm or hot drinks to induce sweating and to cool the body. Cold drinks are no good, really! Interesting to know that ice creams and ice drinks contract the stomach and stop digestion.

In the Chinese Five Elements philosophy the Summer is represented/connected with the Fire Element.

The supernatural forces of Summer create heat in the Heavens and fire on Earth; they create the heart and the pulse within the body... the red color, the tongue, and the ability to express laughter... they create the biter flavor, and the emotions of happiness and joy.       Inner Classic

The Fire Element rules the heart and the small intestines. In chinese, the word heart is xin, and is translated as  "heart-mind". Dean Ornish, heart specialist in California has developed from his own experience this awareness:"I think the mind is where heart disease begins for many people".

General Symptoms of a Heart-Mind Imbalance:
* Scattered and confused mind
* Excess or no laughter
* A rudy or very pale face
* Speech problems (stuttering, excess verbiage, confused speech)
* Depression
* Poor circulation
* Weak spirit
* Aversion to heat

The heart in harmony: 
Those with a healthy hearts are genuinely friendly.
Clarity is a central attribute of those with a harmonious heart-mind. They seem to see effortlessly through a problem to arrive at brilliant solutions.
We of "the information age" tend to have mental hyperactivity. Energy from the excessive thought and worry races through the head while the heart is weaken.
When spirit becomes sufficiently concentrated in the heart, superficial thinking stops and integrated thoughts begins. Rather then thinking about "reality", thought becomes reality - one becomes fully present.

Foods for calming and focusing the mind:
A simple diet with occasional light fasting promotes deep, peaceful thinking.

. Grain: whole wheat, brown rice and oats gently calm the mind.
. Silicon foods: cucumber, celery, lettuce, celery-lettuce juice.
. Fruit: mulberries and lemons calm the mind.
. Chia seeds: have sedative action
. Spices: dill and basil can be use both in food and teas.
. Herbs: chamomile (my favourite!), catnip or valerian - helpful for nervous person or insomniac.
Magnesium in foods is healing to the heart. It retrains the "anxiety peptide", a complex of amino acids in the brain which appears to contribute to anxiety.
Green foods re rich in magnesium as well as organic whole grains.



Let's explore this Summer! Even if it really does not feel like it is Summer at times...
Observe your heart-mind! 
Be at peace!


Love & Health,
Carolyne 

A nicotine story...

Hi all!

I have been away... Left the blogging aside but now I am back. Its been soo long...
I have past my exam for my Naturopathy Nutrition diploma and I am now studying for the Advance diploma. It has been an amazing journey! I am extremely passionate about the course and its philosophy. The philosophy of the cell has become pretty much my philosophy.

-------

I came across this article at the Metro newspaper the other day.

'Hoping to kick the habit? Just nibble a carrot'    by Fred Attewill

Don't waste your money on electric cigarettes and patches if you are trying to give up smoking - just grab a carrot stick instead.
People wanting to quit are 3 x more likely to succeed if they eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, a study shows.
Smokers with higher fruit and vegetables consumption also smoked fewer cigarettes a day, waited longer to smoke in the mornings and scored lower in nicotine dependence tests.
The results - which were taken from 1,000 smokers over 14 months - were consistent for people of all ages, genes, races and backgrounds.
Jeffrey Haibach, who led the research said: 'It is also possible that fruit and vegetables give people a feeling of fullness so they feel less of a need to smoke'
Unlike some foods which enhance the taste of tobacco - such as meat, fizzy drinks and alcohol - fruit and vegetables actually makes it taste worse.
The research, carried out at the University at Buffalo in New York state, was published in science journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

Great, ha!?

Our body is our own pharmacy. If our body have all the necessary nutrients it can make its own feeling good factors. The need to reach out for tobacco, alcohol, sugars and other substances to feel better, relaxed, to ease a pain or experience pleasure, will diminish and eventually stop, because we will be experiencing bliss from within, with our own chemicals. 

We need a well balanced diet full of organic fruits and vegetables, good oils and plenty, plenty of water - the way to pollution is solution. In case of addictions, vitamin Bs, amino acids and possibly some other supplements, are very important.


Did you know...
. if we were to inject the nicotine of 1 cigarette we would die
. 10 million people smoke in the UK
. 106,000  people die every year from disease related to tobacco
. 1 cigarette contains 4,000 chemicals - 30 of them are cancerous

Love and health,
Carolyne x

Potential health issues associated with milk and dairy products

    Dairy products have been overly consumed for many years. Consuming dairy products, specially non - organic products, for a long period of time has been proven to cause health problems.

When we look at the populations that have had a big increase in milk consumption in the last couple of decades like United States, Canada, France and England we find that illnesses like asthma, cancer, heart diseases and osteoporosis have increased tremendously. United States number one killer is heart diseases and the second, osteoporosis. Number one in breast cancer is Denmark followed by Norway then Holland. Number one in heart diseases is again Denmark, Norway, Holland and Sweden; all countries with the highest milk and dairy consumption. In the other hand, countries from eastern cultures which consume much less milk have shocking less cases of degenerative diseases.

   Dairy intolerances and allergies are very common among many populations. Intolerances happen when the body (just after babyhood) stops producing the enzyme lactase which is used to break down the milk sugar called lactose. Not having enough lactose makes it more difficult for the body to digest milk. Some of the symptoms of milk intolerance are: irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, bloating, stomach cramps, migraines and others. Dairy allergies happen when the body have instant reactions to casein, whey or other allergens found in cow's milk. Dairy allergies can be very dangerous. Children are the most affected and the symptoms can be diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps, skin rashes, difficulty in breathing and others.

   Poor absorption of nutrients is associated with dairy products. Casein, a hard protein found in milk is very difficult to digest. The body tries to digest this protein but it can not digest it completely. Through the process of digesting it, mucous is produced. Over a long period of time consuming milk and having to deal with this protein, a lot of mucous is accumulated in the intestinal walls attracting food residues to the walls. The intestinal walls become covered, blocking the absorption of nutrients.

 
Diabetes have also been linked with the protein found in milk. Many studies in various countries show a relation between dairy products and Insulin-Dependent diabetes. Researchers found that the protein in cow's milk provoke an auto-immune reaction in the body, which is believed to be what destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

Osteoporosis is a major disease related to dairy products. The government persists saying that the calcium found in cow's milk and derivatives is crucial for having healthy bones, consequently, preventing osteoporosis in older age. There are no proofs that this saying is true. Drinking milk does not prevent bone loss. Countries like Japan and China, where people consume less milk and protein have low osteoporosis rates. Western countries with the highest rate of osteoporosis like United States and Scandinavian countries consume a lot more milk and animal protein. Studies also show that higher intakes of protein and use of cigarettes, salt and caffeine provokes calcium losses. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001), found that "women who ate most of their protein from animal sources had three times the rate of bone loss and 3.7 times the rate of hip fractures as women who ate most of their protein from vegetable sources."

The calcium found in cow's milk is useless for humans. Cow's milk has much more calcium than magnesium. We need a balanced calcium and magnesium intake otherwise we will face mineral problems. Green leafy vegetables, tofu, seeds and nuts which also contain other essential nutrients for our health, have a far better calcium and magnesium balanced ratio.

   Prostate, breast and ovarian cancer are diseases also related with consumption of dairy products. A study done by Daniel Cramer and his colleges at Harvard back in 1989 already showed the relation between galactose, a sugar found in cow's milk and ovarian cancer. Daniel suggests that if galactose is not broken down correctly by enzymes, it will build up in the blood and may affect woman's ovaries. Many women have low levels of these enzymes and if they consume dairy products daily, their risk of ovarian cancer triple then of other women. Galactose is also linked with infertility. Researchers found that individuals with high levels of calcium intake have three to four times their risk of prostate cancer. This happens because too much calcium interrupts the vitamin D to act as the body's natural anti-cancer mechanism.

   IGF-I (insulin-like growth-factor I) is a very powerful growth hormone found in cow's milk. This hormone has been identified as a key factor with tumour growth.

"IGF-I can stimulate normally slow-growing cancers (like breast, ovarian, and prostate to grow very quickly, causing them to appear in a decade or two or even less." Delicious 12/95

A study showed that men which had the highest levels of IGF-I hormone had more then four times the risk of prostate cancer then men with lower levels of IGF-I.

   There is also a problem with a protein enzyme called xanthine oxidase (XO) which is in cow's milk. XO helps the digestive system breaking down milk proteins. In whole fat milk, XO will be present but in semi-skimmed and skimmed milk the fat is removed consequently XO, making it much harder for the body to digest the protein. However, when milk is homogenized small fat globules surround the xanthine oxidase and it is absorbed intact, without being break down, into our blood stream. This causes problems in the artery walls and blood vessels. Cholesterol gets accumulated and vessels become blocked causing cardiovascular system problems like arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

Get going with your nut and seed milk! You will love it! If ever having milk and dairy products, purchase them from local farms or where you know you can trust the quality of the milk, at least.

In health,
Carolyne x

Nut and Seed Milk Recipes

Having Nut and Seed Milk is a great way to substitute your cow's milk and add vital nutrients and essential fatty acids to your diet.

The idea with Nut and Seed Milk is to experiment! Have fun!
They are simple and easy to make:

Almond Milk

It is the most popular nut milk. The almond milk looks white as cows milk. It is tasty and creamy!

. Soak 1 cup of almonds overnight (soaked almonds are tastier and easier to digest)

. In the morning, drain the water and add the almonds to a blender with 2 cups of filtered water






. Blend it well

. Use a muslin milk bag (you can buy it on line) to drain it. Add the rest/almond bits to your porridge, smoothies or raw dessert recipes.

. Pour the almond milk into a glass jar and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can add more or less water, depending on the desired thickness/creaminess of the milk.
Mix & match with: vanilla essence, cacao powder, maca, dates to sweeten it...use it in your smoothie, porridge, to  , etc.
My favourite recipe is almond milk with a teaspoon of tahini and dates.

I tried Brazil nuts and cashew nuts. I also tried hemp seed and sunflower seed milk which have a stronger taste than the nut milk, but are nice. My last experiment was with oats. Oat milk is so so delicious. Very creamy! I made loads of warm oat chocolate milk with cinnamon and dates this Winter.

Sesame seeds are a great source of calcium.

Chia seeds are a superfood:
. high levels of Omega 3, higher then flax seed
. high antioxidant content
. high calcium content
. it has 19 amino acids, a great source of complete protein
. 6 times more iron than spinach
. 64% more potassium than a banana

I can assure you that once you get in the habit of making your own nutritious Nut and Seed Milk you won't miss the horrible stuff they sell in the supermarkets and call cow's milk.

Enjoy!


Health and love,
Carolyne x

Why milk and diary products are not good for us?

Hello!

I have started to revise for my Naturopathy Nutrition exam in April and I came across some research I did on Milk, dairy products and its advantages and disadvantages. I thought I would share my findings  with you.

Cow's Milk and dairy products have been overly consumed in many countries for many years and it has played a large contribution to our diets with the majority of recipes containing some form of dairy products.

Most of us are bombarded with milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream from a very young age, growing up not knowing the milk's side effects. The government emphasizes that milk is needed specially for its high levels of calcium, but calcium from cow's milk is harmful to our body mainly due to it's insufficient magnesium content. Milk has about ten times more calcium than magnesium. We need a 1 to 1 ratio of these minerals in our bodies. A more balanced calcium-magnesium combination can be found in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, in seaweed, seeds and nuts such as sesame seeds and almonds.

The protein, vitamin A and B found in milk are easily found in other sources. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a good source for vitamins and minerals.

Humans are the only mammals that keep drinking milk after been breast fed and throughout adulthood; and we drink the milk from another mammal! It is like a dog drinking milk from a monkey or so. Very unnatural!!! 

Apart from human milk or goat's milk, in case the mother can not breast feed, I can only think of one advantage for consuming cow's milk and it's products nowadays – to experience the taste of it. But is it worth it?

Most cow's milk contains enormous quantities of antibiotics, herbicides, pesticides, 59 synthetic active hormones, pus, blood, feces, bacteria, viruses, fat, cholesterol and many other allergens. A cow is given around 2.300 different chemicals throughout her lifetime. Many of these contaminants which will be later found in concentration in dairy products, like cheese, are very harmful to the human body especially when consumed over a long period of time.

Dairy products have a big concentration of acid forming, saturated fats which make it easy for problems such as asthma and eczema to appear. Diary products contain casein, a protein very difficult for humans to digest. Casein is used as a binder to make plastic and as a glue for furniture. Can you believe it? Casein makes dairy products mucous forming, aiding to respiratory illnesses to happen.

Dairy intolerances and allergies are very popular specially in the west societies. People have intolerances when they do not have enough lactase enzyme to break down lactose, the natural sugar found in milk and diary allergies occur when the immune system reacts to the protein in milk. Children are most prone to cow's milk allergy but anyone can be affected at any time in their lives. Dairy products are also linked with weight gain, constipation, osteoporosis and many other diseases. 

A large percentage of milk and it's products come from factory farms where animals are not treated 'as living creatures but economic unites in a mechanized production system'. Farmers artificially inseminate cows every year to make sure they keep producing milk in high quantities. Modern dairy cows produce 100 pounds of milk a day - 10 times more then they would produce in nature. Factory farms also waste a lot of water and energy throughout the processes of producing milk and its products. 

Becoming knowledgeable of all the disadvantages of dairy products we can then question ourselves if this “need” for over consuming milk and dairy justifies all the harm it causes to humans, other mammals and our planet.

I have cut down my milk and dairy products intake after studying about it. I could not do it, really!  Nowadays, I occasionally eat organic goat cheese and feta cheese bought from a health food shop or a farm market, where I know the quality is much better and the animals were treated with love. I do not drink milk! And I do not miss it! When I first stopped consuming milk I used to crave it for only a couple of months, nowadays, I never crave it. 

I also noticed that I used to get a rash around my mouth every now and then. I found out that the rash always appeared after I had diary. Since I stopped consuming milk and it's products I never got the rash again and my skin looks and feels better.

Throughout this week, I will give you some nut and seeds milk recipes to be used as an alternative to cow's milk. You can use oat cream instead of milk cream as well... 
I will also give you some more facts about milk and diary products and health issues 
related to it. 

In health,

Carolyne x

A few of my references

Websites:

www.notmilk.com

www.milksucks.com and its recommended articles

www.mgwater.com

Books:

Healing with whole foods – Paul Pitchford

Fats that Kill Fats that Heal – Udo Erasmus
Milk : The Deadly Poison by Robert Cohen 

Delicious Sautéed Kale

Kale is tremendously beneficial to us. It is very alkalising, packed with antioxidants, vitamin A, B6, C and E; a great source of calcium and iron.

You will need:
. 3 handfuls of fresh organic Kale  (there are various types of kale, you can mix a few or choose one variety - lushly curly green kale is sooo tasty. My favourite!
. 1 onion cut into small pieces
. 2 or 3 crushed garlic heads
. 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or 1 teaspoon of ghee
. 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
. salt and pepper

In a frying pan, add the oil or ghee, then the onions and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the kale. Mix it in with the spices and let cook until the kale is nice and soft. If you
put a lid,  the kale will cook quicker and keep the flavours.

This is a simple and quick to make recipe to be eaten on its own or as a side dish.
This morning, I cracked 2 eggs on top of the kale, add some chopped parsley and ate it with a small slice of brown pitta bread. It was very satisfying!!!

Carolyne x

Simple Detoxing...

Hi there!

Back with our simple detox tips. Our first one was to:

* Drink plenty of water. Water will help carrying the toxins out of the body.
Drink 2 litres of water a day. If you find it boring to drink it plain, add some slices of ginger, lemon or lime, cucumber or mint leaves. Mnnn... Naturally tasty water!

* Breath Deeply! 
Breathing slowly and deeply not only bring you to your centre and calm you down in moments of stress, it also stimulates your lymphatic system which helps detoxifying your body. Our lymph system is our bin man, who kindly comes and collect our rubbish.
70% of our waste is eliminated through the lungs; the rest via skin, urine and feces. Let's use our lungs fully!

Practice taking longer slower and deeper breaths throughout your day. You can do it while in front of your computer, cooking, exercising, doing yoga, meditating...


* Add greens to your day!
Greens are very alkalising to the body. They will help cleaning away the toxicity in your body.
For green juices, play, mix & match these:
apple, pear, parsley, cucumber, celery, lemon and lime, coriander, kale.
Eating green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard, beetroot greens, mustard greens will also help to alkalise your body. You can eat your greens raw, in salads, you can steam greens, add them to soups, casseroles, curry. Be creative!

* Skin brush your body!

A dry skin brush can be bought at Neal's Yard Remedies, Boots and other places. You will brush your dry body with firm pressure and long movements towards the heart - from feet to neck. Brush one leg first then the other, do clockwise circular movements on your stomach, then brush your back and side of the body to your armpits and your chest up to your neck - there are plenty of lymph nodes here! At last, brush one arm then the other (from hands to shoulders). You can also dry skin your face. Just use a smaller and softer brush.
It is recommended to dry skin brush your whole body for about 8 to 12min everyday. Ideally, first thing in the morning.
I skin brush almost everyday before I have my bath or shower. It has become a habit! I do feel better for doing it specially in the Winter months when our body slow down.
Skin brush is a great technique to activate your lymphatic and circulatory systems.
A must to fight cellulite off!!!


These simple detox tips will do wonders to your body! I am experiencing it very much this week. I cut the sweets, bread and pasta, alcohol and started exercising more. My skin is softer and brighter, my digestion is working better and I feel more refreshed and a less sluggish - that winter feeling...

Try it! Even if  for one day. Your body deserves it!



Health,
Carolyne x

The New Year is here!

Dear friends 

Happy new year! 

Let's begin 2012 by de-toxing our daily life. The idea of detox is to reduce the amount of toxins and pollution that we put into our bodies and promote healthy eating and nutrition, together with natural techniques to help our body effectively clear the toxins. 

I will be giving you a few detox tips over this month of January. 

First detox tip: 

* Drink plenty of water throughout the day. 

Water

. We are about 75% water, as is the planet.

. It is ancient and carries wisdom

. It is crucial for the hydration of every cell in the body

. Movement of nutrients in and waste out of the cell and body requires water e.g. breathing, digestion, elimination, urination and sweating.

. Our brain is 85% water and our blood, circulatory system, is 90% water. Our bones are 40% water.

. Correct hydration level help us to go with the flow on every level. 

. Drink the cleanest water you can afford

. 66% water is inside the cells and 33% is out. 

. If we don't drink enough water our blood will thickened and it will draw water out of the cells, leaving the cells dehydrated.

how, when and why?

. The body needs about 8 pints (2 litres) of water per day just to function well. When exercising or under emotional or physical stress, more is needed. So drink up!  

. Replacement of fluids needs to be consistent and establishing a daily routine is crucial if the body is to recognize and use the water you are giving it.

. Always drink your water warm, at blood temperature. it is the ideal!

. Have 1 pint as you wake up.

. 20 to 30 minutes before every meal have a pint of blood temperature water. This ensures your bowels are hydrated prior to eating.

. Drink this water rapidly, don't sip or take your time. Drink it all! 

. Don't drink with your meals as this confuses the body and depletes the body and depletes the spleen energy.

. Keep hydration and nutrition separate. 

. Have a bottle of water with you at all times. 

. If you drink only when you are thirsty then you are not getting enough water. 

. Drink at least an extra pint of water for every hour of exercise you do. 

. At the end of the day drink 1 pint of water. 

References:

'Your Body's Many Cries For Water', Dr F Batmanghelidj

'The ph Miracle, Dr Robert O Young 

'The Secret Life of Water', Masaru Emoto

In health,
Carolyne x 

Winter has arrived!

Winter is the end of all seasons. To connect with winter, we become more receptive, introspective. We feel the cold outside and look for warmth inside. We seek inner warmth.

It is time to rest, to meditate deeply, refine our spiritual essence, and store physical energy - in the form of a little added weight - for the cold season. Its time to study (finish an ongoing course, in my case), have new hobbies, be at home with a cup of tea, watch films, have friends around for a cosy evening.

Although in many of our societies today we have to keep moving, doing and improving (specially after the festive times); we must find ways to unify with winter.

The forces of winter create cold in Heaven and water on Earth. They create the kidney organ and the bones within the body... the emotion fear, and the ability to make a groaning sound.
                                                                                                  - Inner Classic

In the Chinese medicine, the Five Elements and the Yin and Yang are an important underlying structure. The Five elements are the energetic substances or processes of which the world is made. Each Element is defined as a set f associations. For example, colour, organs, season, taste, emotion and others.


The winter is represented by the water element. Wow! What can we say about water?! The planet is about 75% water, as we are. Our brain is about 85% water. Water which flows and nourishes all our cells, our body, mind and spirit. If the capacity of water to flow freely is manifested in our body we will never become ill. We become ill when we get stuck. Water can be cleansing, calming, soothing and healing promoting us health. It can be destructive and powerful like a tidal wave, it can be invigorating and energizing like a waterfall, and finally it can be overwhelming and engulfing to the point of taking our life energy away from us. Clean water flows. Water gives us the qualities of flow and adaptability, endurance and stamina, strength and power and it gives us stillness and the opportunity to slow down.

Here are some words and phrases which reflect the qualities of water:
calm      cautious    reflection    strength     flow    stagnant    fluidity    going with the flow   
  the deepest part of us    our ancestral energy    fear and anxiety     stuck    polluted    dirty  

The kidney and bladder are the organs associated with the winter and water element.
The kidney holds the message of our ancestral chi, our jing - a deeper essence which determines our vitality, resistance to disease and longevity.The kidney influences whether we retain too much or too little fluid. The bladder is responsible for holding fluid in our body, it reflects in our stamina and endurance.The ears are also in association with the kidneys.

Fear occurs when we get stuck, we can not move on. Like water, our emotions flow. They should flow smoothly, appearing, rising, falling and disappearing. When we are balanced emotionally, we can 'flow' through our lives. There are times though, when a river can not flow smoothly. It can be frozen over. The emotion fear, which is associate with the water element, clearly can block the flow of our energy.

A few symptoms that may arise when the kidneys and bladder are weak or obstructed:
Sore back, back pain and spinal problems. Too strong or lack of willpower. Fearlessness. Poor energy or lethargy. Swollen legs. Ache in the bones. Night sweats. Poor concentration and memory. Hearing problems. Dizziness, tinnitus. Falling hair or prematurely greying hair.


Let's observe and explore the water element this winter. Here are a few ideas:

• In late January, the deep mid-winter, try and connect with that deepest part of you, your essence, and listen to what it tells you. Meditation and yoga are great tools to go deeper into ourselves.

• Try and rest over the winter, we need to conserve energy for spring ( I know it can be tricky at times. Allow yourself to take this 'mi time'). Have you got less stamina these days? Support water by staying more at home and going to bed an hour earlier.

•  Take some time out and reflect on the last 12 months, are you where you wanted to be? If not, what could you do different in Spring to make things really start to happen? Give yourself a pat in the back for all the other things you did do, explored and achieved.

• Explore the emotion of fear in yourself and in the others. What are you afraid of? Is this fear appropriate that you can move through or is the energy stuck? Do you know anyone that is stuck with a fear? Reflect on how such 'frozen' behaviour can affect people's lives.

• How is your fluidity? What aspects of your life and lifestyle are dehydrating? How can you change this?

• Consider what fluids you drink and are the foods you eat hydrating? 

• Drink more clean water. We need at least 2 litres of water for our body to function well throughout the day.

• Enjoy winter! Get wrapped up and go for a walk in the park or countryside. 

Health and love, 

Carolyne