Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Minerals are just as important as Water

Monday, June 28th, 2010

My last post I talked about drinking enough water so to follow on with this vein of thought it is important to get minerals as well.

If you are exercising and feel thirsty then you are already dehydrated and your electrolytes are out of balance.

You should always hydrate before and during exercise to maintain a good level throughout to avoid unnecessary stress on the body.

I mentioned in my last post that it was not good to drink more than 3 litres of water a day, the reason for this is you will flush out your minerals and become mineral deficient.

Many health conditions are a result of mineral deficiencies like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Sodium, chloride and potassium are all electrolytes and play a huge role in keeping the fluid of the body balanced.

Salt is a very important mineral in the body we must have salt to live, our tears, sweat and all the fluids in our body are salty including the brain and spinal fluids.

The word electrolyte means they carry a electrical charge in water, they can move in and out of the cell to transport nutrients and remove waste, as well as water to keep the fluid balance.

They also carry electrical impulses along the nerve pathways which helps the muscles to contract and relax. Not only the skeletal muscles but the heart and diaphragm as well.

Electrolytes are also responsible for carrying glucose (blood sugar)into the cell after insulin opens the gate to allow the glucose in.

Our bones are not only calcium but also salt crystals are woven in with the calcium, and this is what makes the bones hard. When the body needs more salt than is present it can borrow some from the bones but unfortunately when the salt is drawn out of the bones it takes the calcium with it. This makes the bones thin and brittle and osteoporosis develops.

Many Dr.’s put there patients on a low-salt diet but in fact they need the opposite, but the type of salt is the most important aspect here.

Table salt is purified by removing the trace mineral [ where this crazy idea came from I don't know] and heating the salt to 1200 degrees F. Now what is left is 40% sodium and 60% chloride, then a anti-caking agent is added.

Salt is sodium chloride and is not assimilated well by the body it helps to raise blood pressure and clogs up the arteries causing heart disease.

Table salt is not a good option, nature provides salt with minerals and trace minerals attached [ it stand to reason that we need these as well as salt] the best way to get them is in an organic salt like sea salt and himalayan salt.

Adding a 1/8 tsp of organic salt to your water will help to get your minerals, you can also add to your food.

But you can also drink a large class of pure water and then put a pinch of sea salt on the tip of the tongue and allow it to dissolve.

Kelp or any sea vegetable is also a good source of minerals and can be added to you diet very easily by sprinkling on you salad.

Concentrated mineral drops are another great option, I use these, you can get them  in a health shop.  Follow the instructions on the bottle.

Green smoothies are a great way to keep you mineral reserve up, dark leafy green vegetables are very high in minerals, which are released when you blend them.

This is a delicious drink that will give you an abundance of energy.

Don’t just take my word for it check out what Dr. Batmanghelidj has to say about water. http://www.watercure.com/

I dare you to try this recipe.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach (or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

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Synthetic Verses Natural Vitamins

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Vitamin C,  we need this nutrient to prevent scurvy, it is abundant in most fruits and vegetables especially citrus fruits, kiwifruit and blackcurrants.

Vitamin C supports the immune system, fights cancer and many other numerous health conditions.

But Vitamin C is not Ascorbic acid.

Not all vitamins are created equal.

Most supplements on the market contain ascorbic acid and they call it vitamin C.

Vitamin C was discovered in the 1930s by Dr Albert Szebt-Gyorgyi, his understanding of the chemical structure of the vitamin C made it possible to reproduce in a laboratory.

Unfortunately only nature can produce vitamin C that our bodies will utilize to the maximum, the synthetic variety doesn’t work the same.

Ascorbic acid is harsh on the gut, is not readily bio-available to the body like a natural vitamin C that comes in a fruit or vegetable. The body will absorb and utilize all of the natural vitamin C

The recommended daily allowance of a synthetic vitamin C is 3000 mg (3 gm) for average person, to be taken 1000 mg  3 times a day, this is because the body can only absorb so much at a time and it dumps the rest.

Some say that you can go up to 9000 mg or until you get diarrhea.

This is a warning sign that has flashing lights so take notice.

Getting diarrhea well this is interesting, the body is trying to tell you something?

Observed under a microscope natural vitamin C  varies greatly from ascorbic acid. The particles are just as different as chalk and cheese.

Our bodies only absorb small amounts of synthetic nutrients and dump the rest. (waste of money in my opinion) Have you ever noticed the yellow/orange colour of your urine after taking a vitamin pill.

Well yes that is the body rejecting the unused vitamins. They just go straight through the system, and down the toilet.

Using synthetic vitamins can show results initially but they then stop working, and the condition worsens. Why  is this?

The best source of vitamin C is to eat lots of fresh raw fruits and vegetables daily.

There are also now natural vitamin c capsules available by Lifestream and Premier Research Laboratories.

Vitamin D is getting a lot of press lately, deficiency in vitamin D is on the rise. It is responsible for aiding the absorption of calcium, a vital nutrient for bones.

Vitamin D a fat-soluble vitamin is found in very few foods, egg yokes, cod liver oil, cold water fish like salmon, mackerel,herring and sardine. Vegetables although are a low source of vitamin D; the best sources are dark green leafy vegetables.

We get Vitamin D  from  sunlight exposure. But this isn’t the end of the story vitamin D obtained from food source and sunlight is biologically inert and must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation.

The liver and kidneys are involved, should these be compromised in any way Vitamin D synthesis doesn’t occur. Get the full story in my monthly newsletter.

Using sunscreen blocks vitamin D  synthesis. I recommend that you don’t apply the sunscreen until you have been in the sun for at least 10 to 15 minutes in this way you will have absorbed some vitamin D.

Also it is not enough to just expose you face, expose the arms and legs as well to get more of a surface cover to get the levels up.

Now should you need to supplement with Vitamin D I suggest that you use a natural sourced product. Not a synthetic form, Cod liver oil, chlorella are good sources of natural form of vitamin D.

Should you need vitamin D to fight chronic disease then I suggest Premier Research Laboratries D3 serum. This is a practitioner product and you will need get it through my clinic.

If you are interested in learning more about Vitamin D and get the full story sign up for my free newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Through the winter months I suggest that you make green smoothies with spinach and kale or silverbeet.

They are easy to make you only need a blender, they are delicious an even the kids will love them. They are high in minerals and electrolytes not to mention energy.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach (or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

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Posted in General Health, Raw Food, Recipes | 13 Comments »

How Dumb am I ?

Monday, April 5th, 2010

On Good Friday I met up with my brother at the bottom of the Puketapu hill in Taradale for a training ride. Both of us are keen amateur riders and we are in training for a ride in May  from Rotorua to Whakatane which is 90 km with a lot of hills.

I am also riding in the Hawkes Bay ” Girls on Bikes” 65 km Ride on the 11 April. Getting out and doing lots of hill work is our main goal.

The ride we did was 38 km with approximately 20 of them being hills. My brother is carrying some extra kilos and is a bit slower on the hills than I am and I usually leave him far behind.  I had a raw soaked muesli for breakfast and it was only about 20 minutes before I started the ride.

What a big mistake that was, I was only a couple of metres a head of him on the first hill and was struggling, this is when I realized that I should have had a green smoothie instead of the muesli.

About 20 minutes later I was heading up the big big hill on Puketitiri Rd and I had finally digested the oats, I got the energy I needed to get up this hill.

This isn’t rocket science but it took me this experience to learn that you don’t eat too soon before exercise and food choice is paramount. Raw oats are great for giving sustained energy but the digestive system needs time to process them for that energy release, where a green smoothie will hit the blood stream in five minutes.

Now if I had a cooked breakfast then I would’ve been in bigger trouble as 84% of nutrition would be lost during the cooking or processing of the food. Raw food is definitely better.

I usually go for my ride very early in the morning and don’t eat before I exercise, so this occasion was different. We headed out at 9 am and I needed to eat before we left.

Although I had a raw breakfast it just wasn’t the best choice before a ride.

As I was climbing up the second even bigger hill on that road I was thinking about how I was going to tell everyone on my blog “how dumb am I” by my choice of breakfast.

I also was thinking about the high I get at the top and feel the adrenaline rush going down the other side. This motivates me to keep going even though you feel that it is never going to end.

I definitely get a natural high from the exertion required to cycle up steep hills. I’m sure that my success at achieving my fitness goals is due to the living foods that I eat and the anti-oxidants that I take.

I’m not a fan of synthetic supplements and I don’t take too many as a rule but the ones I take are always natural and only when I am unable to get what I need in my diet.

On that day I had taken 5 capsules of Lifestream Recovery, in my water bottles I had Concentrated mineral drops and Elite electrolytes. I don’t like sports drinks that contain enormous amounts for sugar and no magnesium for muscle recovery. Just pure electrolytes and minerals are the best way to go.

I don’t normally promote products on my blog but I just have to sing the praise of the Lifestream Recovery. It contains Spirulina, Astaxanthin and Blackcurrant. It is a completely natural product and is fantastic for muscle recovery as well as giving you sustained energy.

With this product you can train day after day and not suffer muscle fatigue.

This was a hard ride and took me 1 hour 50 minutes on Friday which is 5 minutes better than the last time. My brother was ten minutes behind me. Once I got my energy levels back I left him far behind.

I am encouraging my brother to get into more green smoothies to help him loose the extra few kilos, when he gets this off I had better look out he will be powering past me.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach (or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit, banana and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

Canadian Oats

¾ cup whole oats (rolled oats have been heat treated)

chopped raw nuts of your choice

raisins and or dried apricots chopped.

sunflower seeds.

½ cup liquid (water, orange or any fresh fruit juice)

The night before take a 3/4 cup of oats and place in a container.  Add chopped nuts of your choice, raisins and or dried apricots, and sunflower seeds.  Mix together, then add liquid, about half a cup should be enough so that it is moist and the liquid is visible place a lunch plate on top.  Then put it in the fridge overnight, eat with yoghurt and fresh fruit or on its own. Single serve.

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Juicing or Smoothie Which is Better?

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

Juicing raw fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to up the nutrition in your diet. But what is best, juicing or smoothies?

There are two types of juicing machines, centrifugal and the extractor. The centrifugal juicing machine spins at high speed forcing the pulp and the juice to separate. There is heat produced by the high speed in this method that can cause slight degradation of the nutrients. The higher speed the machine can reach equates to the faster the juice is produced. The theory  is that the less time required the less heat produced.

These machines produce instant juice and easy to clean.

The extractor machine uses a slower grinding method which doesn’t produce any heat so the nutrient value is retained. This method is much, much slower and the food must be cut up quite small to go into the shoot, as well as manually pushed into the machine.

These machines are quite substantially more expensive, slower and require a more extensive clean up job.

Both methods can produce good raw nutrient rich juice, which is great way to get a natural daily vitamin and mineral dose.

A smoothie is produced in a Blender. You just cut up the raw fruits or vegetables and put in the blender, add water and blend until smooth. Depending on the power of the blending machine, the time taken to make this will vary. Heat can also be produced it the blending process is to long.

Blending hard root type vegetables like carrots and beetroot will require a powerful blender like the Vita Mix which rotates at up to  37,000 RPM or a machine of similar power. These machines can be rather costly in New Zealand. But well worth the cost.

The difference between the juicing method and the smoothie method is the fibre.

Juicing  separates juice from fibre, and the fibre is thrown away, we consume the nutrient rich juice.

Smoothie retains the fibre, the whole raw fruit or vegetable are used.

Fibre is a very important part of the vegetable and fruit; it keeps it together. It is a very important part of our diet as well; fibre is what gathers up and sweeps out the waste and toxic substances in the bowel that is not absorbed by the body during the digestion process.

Fibre helps the body to balance the blood sugars and keep the body’s insulin levels stable. It stops the blood sugar spiking and is very helpful in hypoglycemia and diabetes.

Many people with health issues  like hypoglycemia and diabetes are advised not to eat fruits as they are high in sugar, but in fact a green fruit smoothie is actually going to be much better for them than the cookie or any other snack food.

Removing the fibre from your food can lead to the malfunction of the bowel. Natural plant fibre is often both water and fat soluble, and the best fibre for the bowel.

Nutrients can be either water or fat soluble so the fibre plays a role in the absorption of some nutrients as well.

Back to the question of whether it is better to be Juicing or making Smoothies. I think that the smoothie has more merit due to the retention of the fibre. However, both are great sources of nutrition.

I suggest that if you are juicing that you add some of the pulp fibre back into the juice before you drink it. Or you can add psyllium hulls as a substitute fibre.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach ( or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

Berry Fruity Smoothie

2 persimmons peeled and chopped

1 cup fresh orange juice or water

1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries or cranberries

1 heaped tbsp Yoghurt (Optional)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into the Blender and Blend until smooth and serve.

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Posted in Healthy Eating, Raw Food, Recipes | 3 Comments »

Is Broccoli a Super Food

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Broccoli is over 2,000 years old, it has been around since the Roman Empire, and is native to the Mediterranean region. Broccoli a relative of the cabbage family, it is believed was engineered from cabbage by the ancient Etruscans, who were considered to be horticultural geniuses.

When broccoli was first introduced into England, it was referred to as “Italian asparagus.” Although commercial cultivation of broccoli dates back to the 1500s, it did not become a popular foodstuff in the United States until the early 1920s.

Broccoli is one of the most nutrient rich foods but it is low in calories.

An excellent nutrient source of;

Vitamin A equiv.31 μg (3%)

- beta-carotene361 μg (3%)

- Lutein and zeaxanthin 1121 μg

Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.071 mg (5%)

Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.117 mg (8%)

Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.639 mg (4%)

Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.573 mg (11%)

Vitamin B6 0.175 mg (13%)

Folate (Vit. B9) 63 μg (16%)

Vitamin C 89.2 mg (149%)

Calcium 47 mg (5%)

Iron 0.73 mg (6%)

Magnesium 21 mg (6%)

Phosphorus 66 mg (9%)

Potassium 316 mg (7%)

Zinc 0.41 mg (4%)

and much much more. These vitamins and minerals aren’t just found in trace amounts either.  Broccoli actually contains more Vitamin C than many citrus fruits and higher protein than a sirloin steak on a gram for gram basis. The calcium is much higher than an entire glass of milk. It’s an even richer source of fibre than whole wheat bread.

Broccoli also contains glucosinolates and phyto-chemicals like diindolylmethane  and isothiocyanates that are considered to have anti viral, antibacterial and anticancer effects.

Broccoli has demonstrated it’s remarkable anticancer effects, especially in breast cancer. Glucosinolates, and sulforaphane, boosts the production of an enzyme known to neutralize carcinogens before they trigger tumor growth especially in breast and prostate cancer cells.

Studies have also shown broccoli to increase the ability of the liver to detoxify toxic compounds and decreases the growth of human papillomavirus (a virus linked to cervical cancer).

Studies conducted at the prestigious John Hopkins University showed that broccoli compounds trigger the body to produce a substance (sulforaphane) that, in turn, manufactures enzymes that are powerful cancer fighters.

These cancer fighting compounds are released during the chewing process and are in the highest concentration when the broccoli is raw.

Cooking broccoli will reduce the benefits by up to 80%.

Broccoli is known to be very beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. It is a low-glycemic  index food which helps to normalize blood sugar.

One of the keys to weight loss is controlling the body’s response to insulin. Broccoli also boosts the enzymes which help to detoxify the body. Detoxification leads to weight loss which helps with certain diseases prevention.

But wait it gets even better that that!

Broccoli sprouts are even better than just eating broccoli alone. Sprouts are exceptionally high in nutrients and proteins, this is due to the changes that happen at germination, amazing things happen to seeds when they start to germinate. At a mere 3 days old, they contain at least 20 times as much of disease-fighting anti cancer sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as the mature plant; SGS has been shown to kill tumors.

Just 28 gm or 1 ounce of sprouts has as much SGS as 600 gm or 1 1/4 pounds of broccoli. That’ll save you lots of chewing.

A Japanese pilot study found people who ate about a half cup a day of sprouts lowered their total cholesterol by an average of 15 points, and women in the study raised their good cholesterol by 8 points–in just 1 week.

Broccoli can save your sight, exposure to UV sunlight over time may lead to an eye condition called macular degeneration, which is the number one cause of blindness in the elderly. Researchers at Johns Hopkins determined that broccoli sprouts can protect retinal cells from ultraviolet light damage.

Conclusion:

It has proved to be very high in nutrients and has disease fighting value of amazing proportion. It can stop the growth of tumors and prevents cancer and heart disease. Broccoli is great for detoxification and weight loss. You don’t have to buy it at the health shop either in plastic container you can get it at your local organic grower. Or it can be grown in your garden or in a sprouting jar on your bench.

So is broccoli a super food, I say yes yes yes!

Get the full story about broccoli and other super foods you can grow in your  garden with lots of yummy raw recipes in my new e-book, coming soon  Sign up now for my newsletter and you will be the first to know when it is out.

Eating broccoli raw is the best way to get all the nutrients check out and try this recipe.

Broccoli Delight

1 small head of broccoli finely chopped

1 small head of cauliflower finely chopped

1 avocado Cubed

100 gm Goats feta cubed (Optional)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 green tomatoes finely chopped

Combine all ingredients and serve. This is really nice wrapped

in a lettuce leaf with some humus as a burrito.

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Posted in Raw Food, Recipes, Super Foods | 16 Comments »

The Humble Raw Beetroot Food or Medicine

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Today I would like to tell you about the benefits of the humble beetroot.

Beetroot heralds as one of the top cases for “Food be our Medicine”

In Juice, salad or soup, the beetroot  is an important part of any health regime.

Hippocrates advocated the use of beet leaves as binding wounds. It has been used as an aphrodisiac and to treat fevers & constipation by the Romans. In the middle ages it was used to cleanse and strengthen the blood. The signature of nature tells us that the beetroot is good for the blood the beetroot bleeds dark red blood when cut.

Modern research shows the beetroot as a powerful medicine, beetroot juice can be very helpful in lowering blood pressure, drinking beet juice every day will keep your blood pressure down as well as cleanse the blood of toxins. It is good for the liver and aids in detoxification. Beetroot also has been used for many years as a cancer treatment, it contains specific anti-carcinogens which are bound in the red pigments helps fight against cancer. Beetroot is an anti-oxidant fighting the free-radicals and is anti-aging, It  increases the uptake of oxygen in your blood by as high as 400 % this in itself will increase energy.

This makes beetroot a super food and a  medicine. Eating it RAW is the best way to get the full nutrient value of this wonderful little dynamo of a vegetable. Beetroot is know as food for the bowels those suffering from constipation,  irritable bowel syndrome, crohns or just bloating eating raw beetroot juice or grated beets will get great benefits as it soothes and protects the bowel. The beet greens are also very nutrient rich they contain beta- carotene and other carotenoids these function as anti-oxidants. They also contain vitamin C, iron, potassium and folate.

So add some of the raw beet tops to a green salad or you can pop some in with your smoothes.

Beetroot is easy to grow they grow all year round and  like a sunny position with well drained soil.

The best way to eat beetroot is raw, here are just a few  ways to prepare the humble delicious beetroot.

Beetroot and Carrot Treat

  • 2 Small Beetroot scrubbed [no need to peel]
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1/4 cup of Goji Berries soaked for 30 min in small amount of water.
  • 1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp of Coriander seeds
  • 2 tbs. of Flaxseed oil

Grate carrots and beetroot combine with soaked goji berries,

Mix flaxseed oil with seeds and pour over and mix well, chill or serve immediately. This is a winner, so yummy.

Variation: Try grating an apple instead of a carrot and add some raisins.

NB This keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days

Ginger Beets

  • 2 cups finely grated raw beets
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup [optional]
  • 1 Tbsp tamari
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine the beets, ginger,maple syrup, tamari and lemon juice: toss.

Let the flavors blend for a few minutes before serving.

Beetroot Juice

  • 1 medium size raw beetroot.
  • 2 Medium size carrots
  • 2/3 sticks of celery [optional]
  • 1/2 cup of crushed ice [Optional]

Wash and or scrub all vegetables, juice in a juice extractor, and serve.

NB This should be consumed with in 12 hours of making for optimum nutrition

Beetroot Soup

  • 1 cup finely grated raw beets
  • 1 red pepper, cut in to chunks
  • 1/2 lemon peeled seeded and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Nama Shoyu [ or tamari]
  • 1/3 cup raw tahini
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Water

In a blender combine the red pepper, lemon, and nama shoyu blend until smooth.

Add the beets, blend.

Add the tahini, paprika and enough water to achieve desired consistency.

Yields approximately 1 1/2 cups.

This can also be a dressing or sauce.

Well I hope these 4 recipes will inspire you to include much more beetroot in you diet. There are many other ways of eating beetroot but I suggest that you eat it Raw.

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Posted in Recipes, Super Foods | 4 Comments »