After a gluttonous Christmas month (and I’d love to say it was just a week) I was really ready to get back to basics. In fact while I was purging on cakes and biscuits and wine, I was avidly reading and getting inspiration, ready for the New Year. I’m not one for making resolutions; I like to feel that for me January is about removing excesses, hibernating a little and re-assessing.

This year I did however decide to go a little extreme for me and have a gluten free, tea-total, vegan month. I hadn’t planned to do this. I’d simply decided to have a few days juicing in order to improve energy and feel better. Then I got cold and longed for warm soups and my vegan month was there. Why not, I decided.  My reasoning came about simply because I felt so lethargic and was really aware of my joints as I got up in the morning. This shouldn’t be a norm for me and as I’ve so much faith in the healing power of plant foods, I embraced my little clinical study of one!!!!!

So far, three weeks in, I’m over ¾ stone lighter, full of energy and find myself bouncing, although I have to admit, I haven’t yet started any form of exercise routine, apart from dog walking. It’s not been easy especially as I cook dinner in the evening for my carnivorous family but it hasn’t been that tough either. I’ve managed to go out for dinner and find something on the menu, as well as cook lovely meals and make tasty and healthy chocolate and fruity treats.   Nut butters and fruit have been my happy indulgences and roasted vegetables along with vegetable soups have made me smile. What I have learnt from this is the appreciation, yet again, of fruit as a beautiful and yet simple snack. Papayas, melons, figs and oranges have been a pure joy to eat and asparagus soup with a little chilli, blended with almonds has been delightful. I’ve discovered new juice and smoothie combinations and found inspiring recipes that are filling and a pure joy to eat. In all it’s been a really positive experience.

Will I carry on with this as a lifestyle choice? No!!! Will I make it to the end of the month? Maybe not. I’m going to a party tomorrow and don’t want to inflict my craziness on any of my friends. I simply want to enjoy my evening, spending quality time with people I care about, being thankful for the food that will have been lovingly prepared. This is far more important to me than any short term food choices I’ve decided to make.

During my hibernation time, I’ve also been reading Anita Moorjan’s books which I can’t recommend enough. In her first book she describes her journey from cancer to near death and then true healing.  During this journey, Anita came to the understanding that making diet choices based on fear was detrimental to her health and instead, loving and enjoying what you eat is vital for healing.

We should openly enjoy foods that we feel are good for us, whether we choose a lifestyle that is vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or as a meat eater.  I would say however that eating foods that make us feel good, doesn’t include the hollow short-term satisfaction that junk food provides. This I found to my cost yet again in December. Real, wholefoods are the only way to go, but joy in foods you love is what matters!!

Happy eating.
​
Rachel x

This is the time of year when we can all feel a little run down, tired and also move into the cold and flu season. The reason we seem to be getting more susceptible to viruses now is believed to be because we’re spending more time indoors, increasing exposure to germs and viruses, and there’s also no doubt that we have a real lack of sunshine, which diminishes our vitamin D levels. So it’s really worth looking after ourselves. We can support our immunity levels by considering the following:

1) Vitamin D

Not only does Vitamin D support bone health but it also plays a vital role with immune function. We get our main source of Vitamin D from the sunlight, but this is lacking in the winter months in the northern hemisphere. Dr Mercola reported recently that a Japanese study found that children taking a Vitamin D supplement were 58% less likely to catch influenza A. That is a better rate of protection than the flu vaccine, which I find really interesting. It’s important to remember to expose your skin to sunlight when we can and to eat foods containing Vitamin D such as salmon, milk, eggs, mushrooms, tofu and pork. As a rule we don’t tend to talk a lot about supplements because we are predominantly focusing on healthy lifestyle habits, but I want to say that I personally supplement Vitamin D during the winter months to support my bone health and immunity. For other ideas on how to support healthy bones have a look at a previous blog - Healthy Bones. If you do decide to supplement, check your levels with your doctor first and I would recommend speaking to a professional regarding levels and a good source of the vitamin. Particularly with vitamin D it's a good idea to get a spray supplement that goes under the tongue, as the tablet forms are usually too low a dose, and because they go through our digestive system we don't tend to absorb all of the vitamin D available.

2) Garlic

I love garlic and add it to everything. Garlic contains a phytochemical called allicin, which is anti-viral anti-bacterial and is therefore essential at this time of year. To get the most out of garlic, you want to crush it first, leave it exposed to the air for a good 5-10 minutes before adding it to food. Also, the less it is cooked, the more goodness it retains. In fact, lots of herbs and spices have great immune-supporting chemicals - have a look here for more details on the wonders of herbs!

3) Vitamin C

Vitamin C is well known to support immunity and is vital at this time of year. We should really be ensuring that we are getting plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Good sources include peppers, berries, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, tomatoes, kiwi, broccoli, peas, papaya and guavas.

4) Zinc

Zinc is also essential for immune health so make sure that you’re adding eggs, beef, ginger, red meat, chicken, fish, whole grains, legumes, oysters, sunflower seeds and pumpkins seeds into your diet.

5) Mushrooms

Mushrooms are fantastic immune boosters and I would really recommend adding these to your meals, especially enoki, shitake and oyster mushrooms.

6) Avoid excess refined sugar

Too much sugar suppresses the immune system and boosts pathogenic activity. Enjoy the sweetness of natural fruits and try stevia or xylotil as an alternative to sugar in tea or coffee. Swapping white bread, rice and pasta for wholegrain varieties is also extremely beneficial.

7) Honey

Honey is also really helpful. I’d recommend either raw honey or Manuka honey. Raw honey contains probiotics that boost immunity and Manuka honey, which is produced in New Zealand, contains higher concentrations of a component called methylglyoxal, which gives the honey its high antibacterial quality. Note of caution though, don’t give children under 2 years of age honey because their bodies aren’t developed enough yet to metabolise it.

8) Sleep

When we sleep our body has a chance to repair and if you’re depriving yourself of sleep, your immunity will become suppressed. So try and get between 7 -9 hours per night if at all possible.

9) Relax

Stress makes us more vulnerable to illness and disease. This is due to higher levels of cortisol and adrenalin in the body, which suppress immunity. Although stress is often unavoidable, using techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, yoga or walking are great at keeping the body in balance by lowering cortisol levels, which in turn can aid sleep and boost your immunity.

Try this Immune Boosting Chicken and Ginger soup

Ingredients

• 2 split breast free-range chickens (this means bone in breast)
• 6 shiitake mushrooms (you can substitute frozen or dried)
• 6 slices of dried astragalus root (optional)
• ½ onion (large)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 carrots
• 4 celery stalks
• ginger root (use about 3 inch slice)
• kale (large bunch)
• dash of dried oregano (add more if sick)
• cup of fresh parsley
• cup of fresh coriander
• sea salt and black pepper
• cayenne pepper (add this to each individual bowl as you like)

Directions

Fill the pot up about one third of the way with filtered water and toss in some sea salt, ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The sea salt and peppers can really be minimal while cooking. You can always add a bit more to each serving. Let the water get hot, just below a boil.

Add the split breast (after pulling off the fat and skin — a little left is fine). Slice up the ginger root into smaller strips and toss in the water. Cook the soup on low, more slowly.
Cut up your carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms, and add to the soup. Let this cook for about 30 minutes.

Add the stem of the kale. Just pull off the leaves from the centre, and chop up the stems. Toss those in the soup. In 30 minutes or so, add the kale leaves. You can let this cook very slowly at a low temperature for another 30 minutes to an hour, and you’ll have a delicious, nutrient-dense soup.

Cut up the parsley and coriander, and put a little on the bottom of your bowl. Scoop out the soup and place it on top.

Keep well.
​
Rachel x

A really interesting article has been hitting the headlines this week regarding a woman who is able to finally lead a normal life after 25 years of suffering with moderate to severe migraines. Her relief finally came with the help of intolerance testing which showed that she had an intolerance to cow’s milk, corn and prunes. She stated that the process had been life changing. Click here to read the article.

I was really pleased to see this in the media because these tests can be so successful in alleviating health problems and we’ve both seen positive results with ourselves and with clients.

Firstly it’s important to talk about what an intolerance test is. The test shows an antibody reaction to certain foods that may be causing unpleasant symptoms in the body.

“What is food to one man, may be fierce poison to another” Lucretius circa 75BC

However, there are different types of reactions to food. There are reactions that are immune-mediated and those that are non-immune mediated. Only certain immune-mediated reactions will show up on a food intolerance test. We’ll explain this briefly for clarification.

• Non-Immune mediated reactions can be the result of an enzyme deficiency in the body for example lactose intolerance. These reactions will not show up on a test, as they do not involve the formation of any antibodies.

 

• IgE Immune mediated reactions – these are known as “allergic reactions” (anaphylaxis) and have immediate effect on the body. The offending foods cause the immune system to create antibodies (IgE) that lead to a rapid release of histamine. This can cause reactions like breathing problems, swollen lips, and tongue, hives and low blood pressure. Symptoms can be life threatening and these foods should be avoided at all costs for life. If you suspect you are having an allergic reaction then you need to speak to your GP as these reactions are usually measured via a blood test or a specific skin prick test.

 

• IgG Immune mediated food intolerance reactions. Strictly speaking, as these reactions involve the immune system and the production of antibodies (IgG), technically they should be also be referred to as “allergic” responses. But basically IgG reactions have been commonly referred to as “intolerance reactions” for so long now that it makes more sense to just call them that. The main obvious difference between IgE and IgG reactions to foods is the response time. With IgG reactions, the response is delayed and can show hours or even days after the food has been consumed, making it very difficult to identify the problem foods.  

 
Food intolerances (IgG reactions) can lead to inflammation within the body and the gradual appearance of many symptoms. These symptoms aren’t life threatening like a severe IgE allergic reaction but can have really unpleasant effects on the body.
 
It isn’t fully understood yet why we develop food intolerances but it is linked to a compromised immune system. When the immune system is overwhelmed, possibly due to poor digestion, stress, infections, medications, a poor diet or high alcohol consumption, it can react to proteins in the food, treating them as foreign invaders and forming immune complexes that deposit in the body causing a variety of symptoms. Examples of these may include:

Gastrointestinal:             bloating, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, flatulence
Skin:                                    eczema, spots, hives
Nervous system:             migraines, headaches, depression, anxiety, fatigue
Respiratory:                      asthma, cough, sinusitis, rhinitis
Metabolic:                         weight gain
Musculoskeletal:             joint pains, muscle aches, arthritis
 
The good news is that as soon as the offending foods are identified and removed from the diet, symptoms may decrease and even disappear.  These foods can usually be gradually reintroduced after a period of time. It is believed that the successful reintroduction is due to the fact that the body is no longer overburdened and has had time to recover. However it is important to state that some people may find that they are better off removing certain foods for life.

These tests don’t come cheap and can range from approximately £60 - £200 varying on the number of foods being tested. You may ask why would I spend this much? From experience I can say that it could be near impossible to identify that you are actually reacting to cashew nuts for example or a certain grape in a wines of your choice. Even for some of the more common food intolerances, such as wheat, gluten or dairy it can be really useful to have a very clear indication of how these foods may be affecting your health. How difficult would it be to identify this and how long have you been suffering? Food intolerance tests have moved on in recent years and the best companies are Cambridge Nutritional Sciences and YorkTest Laboritories.

Although these tests can be done independently, I genuinely feel it is beneficial to work with a nutritional therapist who will not only guide you through the process, but will also piece together the whole picture because this is usually only part of the problem.
If you are interested in finding out more and making an appointment, please feel free to contact me directly.
Love Rachel x 

I want to talk this week about meditation. This is a practise that I’ve recommenced over the past few months because of the numerous benefits to health and peace of mind. A few minutes of meditation can relax my muscles and calm my state of mind, setting me up for the day. As we all know there are so many things that we can’t control in life, but one thing we can do is control our state of mind and learn how to use our emotions and responses for the better. Meditation is so helpful with positively reinforcing your belief in yourself and your ability to deal with situations.

Now on my journey, on and off, over the past twenty years I haven’t found this easy. I’ve spend time on my own, in meditation groups, Buddhist centres and even in a little room in a busy recreation centre with the sound of balls bouncing off walls and children shouting.

One thing I have learnt with all this is that it can be really infuriating and takes practice and patience, but the benefits are really worth it. Nowadays I find a little time at some point in the day and use an app on my phone called Insight Timer – Meditation Timer. It gives me the option of guided meditations for relaxation, peace of mind, health or anything I fancy I can also just put the timer on with relaxing background music. Now I realise that many of you reading this will think that you just don’t have time, but let me ask, do you spend a few minutes a day looking on social media? A Zen Proverb states “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day – unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

Science has now caught up with thousands of years of Eastern practice and studies at Harvard Medical School have found that individuals who used long term relaxation methods like yoga and meditation, in fact had many more active “disease-fighting genes” than those who did not undertake a form of relaxation.

Research has also shown that there are many positive benefits and I have listed a few below:

1. Increased Immunity 
2. Emotional Balance
3. Increased Fertility 
4. Relieves Irritable Bowel Syndrome
5. Lowers Blood Pressure
6. Anti-Inflammatory
7. Calmness

There are varying ways to simply practise meditation. You can start by simply watching you breath. Slowly breathe in through your nose and extend your breath to your abdomen and then gradually exhale whilst being aware of all tensions being released. If your mind wanders whilst doing this, let your thoughts go and return to following your breath. You’ll be amazed at how relaxed you feel.

I’ve found that meditation has the additional benefits of helping me to trust my instincts more. I feel that I’m drawn to go somewhere, do something or say something that is really beneficial not just to me but to others around me. I also feel more able to deal with difficult situations, although not always because let’s face it this thing called life isn’t always easy. But I feel a little more at peace and in control of my responses and decisions.

Give it a go and let me know how it is for you.

Love Rachel x

​I was hugely influenced by the work of Dan Buettner. I don’t know if anyone is aware of the Blue Zones but basically Natural Geographic explorer, Dan Buettner, lead a group of researchers across the globe in search of regions that held the highest percentages of centenarians to discover the secrets to their long, healthy, full lives. The blue zone regions include Sardinia, Okinawa, Loma Linda in California, Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica and Ikaria, a Greek island. His findings were fascinating and inspiring.

For me it just highlights the fact that we don’t need to be spending a fortune on our health and lifestyle. We just need to move enough, eat well, have a purpose in life and be part of a community. And it’s as simple as that!!!

Jamie Oliver has also recently found the blue zones and mimicked recipes in his recent cookbook which I think is great, although for me personally he has a few too many wheat-based dishes.

Essentially the main dietary principles of those living the longest and healthiest seem to be the following:

• Fruit and vegetables are eaten in abundance and are the main staple of every meal.
• Little or no meat is consumed. If meat is eaten, it is only a few times a month. Fish however is eaten daily with many centenarians.
• Beans also seem to be a main staple, with black eye beans, chickpeas, lentils and black beans being consumed regularly.
• Dairy doesn’t figure highly in the blue zone diets, although cheeses are eaten occasionally.
• Water, tea, real coffee, wine and water tend to be the drinks of choice but moderation is the key.
• Wholegrains like wholemeal bread, brown rice, oatmeal and barley are consumed daily.
• Eggs are eaten but only a few per week.
• Olive oil features within the diet and additional healthy fats from avocados, nuts and seeds.
• Sugar does not really feature in their diet, which isn’t a surprise.

It obviously isn’t just food that seems to have an impact on longevity and lasting health. Lifestyle is a huge factor and I’ve listed the key elements found among healthy centenarians because I think at times we all need to take stock. Dan found that the key positive lifestyle habits included :

1. Moving Naturally 
The world’s longest-living people move constantly without thinking about it and many grow gardens. They don’t run marathons or pump iron but are consistently active. This isn’t so easy for many of us with office-based jobs but it is a reminder that movement is so important
2. Having a Sense of Purpose. The research has shown that having a sense of purpose can in fact add seven years extra life expectancy. Having a reason to get up in the morning is so important and has such an impact on well being
3. Down Shift
 Basically we all have stress to some extent in our lives, however centenarians have found a way to deal with their problems effectively. Some take time daily to remember their ancestors, others take a nap, whilst Sardinians have a happy hour. This is so important because stress has terrible consequences to health including chronic inflammation and many age-related diseases.
4. 80% Rule
Blue zone individuals tend to eat until they are 80% full and this is especially true of the Okinawans. Additionally the centenarians tend to eat the smallest meal at the end of the day.
5. Plant Power
 Beans seems to be a mainstay for many and meat is eaten sparingly, often only a few times a month.
6. Wine This was good news for me. Alcohol is consumed moderately and often daily but only 1-2 glasses. Interestingly, moderate drinkers seemed to outlive non-drinkers. What is really important to point out, especially in our society today, is that binge drinking is a no!!!
7. Belonging
 Most centenarians belonged to some faith-based community or have a sense of something greater than themselves. 
8. Loved Ones
The blue zone centenarians put their families first which includes looking after ageing parents and grandparents and investing time and love into their children as well.
9. Right Tribe 
I love this. Successful centenarians spend time with positive like-minded friends.

I think we can all take something from this. Life doesn’t have to be complicated and we don’t have to spend a fortune and so much time working on perfection. Living in the moment, eating healthy food and enjoying the company of those we love is what we instinctively know to be part of the purpose of living but we can often forget as we get too busy.

I wish everyone good food and good company.
​
Rachel x
 
Sources and further information: Dan Buettner (2010) The Blue Zones,  www.bluezones.com



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We can get so caught up with buying the best healthy snacks but can often forget those already available, Fruit!!!! I thought I’d quickly highlight a few of the benefits of fruit as a reminder of how highly nutritious and beneficial they are to our bodies.

Apples for example are a source of Vitamins A, C, E and K and a good source of fibre. Studies have shown that apples have high antioxidant activity and can help lower cholesterol levels as well as aiding in the reduction of chronic disease. They also contain high amounts of the phytonutrient quercetin, which is a natural antihistamine. Apples have anti-inflammatory properties and also contain a gel-like fibre called pectin which has been shown to bind to heavy metals, safely removing them from the body. Apple pectin also has the ability to build a barrier which controls the amount of fat that our adipose (fat around the middle) tissues are able to absorb.

Bananas are a good source vitamins C, B6, potassium, copper, and manganese. It is a great electrolyte food for those working out and busy on the go.  Bananas contain a rich source of the amino acid tryptophan has been shown to help promote sleep. They also contain powerful anti-fungal and antibiotic compounds and support the natural bacteria in the bowel, which helps promote a healthy and digestion and also supports the immune system. Bananas are also superb for athletes because they help replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly.
​
Blueberries are a good source of vitamins C and K, along with copper, manganese and fibre. They are packed full of high levels of phytonutrients and have received a bit of a celebrity status as a superfood recently. Studies have shown that blueberries can improve memory and reduce DNA damage. They  are useful in fighting urinary tract infections and are essential for eyes and digestive tract health. Blueberries also strengthen the circulatory system and support immune health. Blueberries can be frozen because freezing retains most of their nutrition.

Grapes are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and B-complex, calcium, magnesium, copper, boron, manganese, iron, selenium and potassium. They contain high levels of phytonutrients which are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-ageing. Grapes are a low GI food that benefit blood sugar levels by providing great insulin regulation and blood sugar balance. Black grapes are the most nutritious of all varieties.

Raspberries contain vitamins C, A, E, K, B-complex, iron, copper, calcium, and magnesium. They have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties and also contain a compound called raspberry ketone that research has shown increases the metabolism of fat cells.  Raspberries are able to be frozen because they retain most of their nutrition.
Enjoy.
Rachel x

Juices or smoothies?
 
Juices and smoothies are becoming more and more popular and I’m so pleased to see that it’s becoming normal now to have a juice or smoothie for breakfast or lunch. They’re an amazing way to quickly pack in an abundance of nutrients into a quick and easy drink, and are in my opinion the ultimate in fast food. I tend to alternate between juices and smoothies for breakfast and sometimes lunch and thought I’d quickly talk about the difference between the two.
 
Juicing

Juicing is a process that extracts the nutrients and the water easily from plants. This process allows the body to absorb the nutrients quickly because the digestive system doesn’t have to work so hard at breaking foods down. The nutrients are then easily released into the bloodstream.

I love juicing and would recommend you looking up Jason Vale, aka the Juicemaster. Last January I followed Jason’s 28 day juice plan after a particularly gluttonous Christmas period. I felt really low in energy and bloated at the start of the year, and after an uncomfortable 5 or so days, whilst my body detoxed, my energy levels soared, my skin glowed and I felt great, with the added benefit of losing over a stone. It’s amazing how the body can heal itself when you remove the junk. To this day a favourite breakfast of mine is a Jason Vale recipe:

Jason Vale Oxygen Elixir Juice:

• ¼ lemon
• 1 small beetroot bulb
• 2 apples
• 1 celery
• 1 carrot

Blend the juice with:

• ½ avocado
• Ice cubes

It’s velvety, gorgeous and will keep you going until lunchtime.

My kids are now teenagers and have a passion for every junk food establishment they can find, so I’ll often make them a few tasty blends to make sure they at least have some goodness going in after a weekend of teenage junk heaven with their friends. This also allows me to feel my parenting guilt going down a notch or two on one level at least.
 
Blending

Blending is slightly different in that is also contains the pulp of the fruit and vegetables and this fibre has the benefit of slowing down the release of nutrients in the bloodstream, keeping you fuller for longer and avoiding any sugar spikes.

At home we often give the kids a smoothie for breakfast as it’s such a good way to start the day and I know that some good has gone in before they buy chips and whatever teenage junk heaven they find in secondary dinner halls and college canteens.

As for myself, I also love them and this morning for example I quickly threw together a smoothie containing the following:

• 1 banana
• 250ml rice milk
• 1 handful of blueberries
• 1 handful of raspberries
• 1 handful if spinach
• 1 tbsp oats
• 1 handful of kale (stem removed)
• 1 tsp peanut butter (I used Whole earth)
• 1 tsp baobab
• 4 ice cubes

This is a really easy way to add an abundance of nutrients, antioxidants and not to forget those amazing phytonutrients into your diet. It’s delightful to taste and importantly for me, satisfying.

You may have noticed that I added baobab to the mix. It has been getting a fair amount of press lately as another of the “superfoods”. It’s an African fruit which is ground into a powder. I first tried Baobab a couple of years ago whilst working as a nutritionist for a supplement company and found a new love. This fruit has been found to contain six times more vitamin C than an orange, more antioxidants than blueberries, twice the amount of calcium as a glass of milk and more potassium than a banana. What a great way to start the day.

I’m a real gadget queen and have two juicers and two blenders but to be honest whatever you use is great. I watched a juicing expert say that the best juicer to have is the one that you’ll use and I think that is so important to remember.  So take your gadgets out of the cupboard and make yourself amazing fast food for breakfast this spring!!!
 
Rachel x