How to help prevent those pesky colds and what to do if you DO get one

Following on from my last blog post ...................

 

A few useful gardening tools to help prevent those pesky colds 

A healthy immune system can tell a pesky cold doing the rounds where to go – politely of course. Let’s have a look at how we can grow a healthy strong immune system ……..

Avoid stress – easier said than done, but essential if you want the best health and immunity. Stress switches off immunity leaving you wide open. Look into ways to de-stress. Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi are all very effective, but maybe just sitting quietly with a book or taking your dog for a walk can do the trick.  Do what feels right for you. There is no point doing yoga if it stresses you!!

Sleep gives your cells a chance to recharge and cleanse. Think of them doing essential maintenance work whilst you visit the land of Nod. If you don’t get enough sleep, then vital repair and cleaning work is skipped, which has a big impact on your health and vitality.  Not getting enough sleep can also cause your body more stress!!   

Exercise and Fresh Air – a daily brisk walk helps keep things moving; an aerobic class for your cells. It stimulates circulation and lymph which in turn help to support tip-top immune function.

Water  Your cells want fresh water to cleanse. If they don’t cleanse, toxins can build up, then before you know it, your body is trying its best to clear up the unholy mess ……… voila – a pesky cold!

Tip-Top digestion – a digestive system in good working order literally feeds all the cells of your body including your immune cells. So think water, plenty of fruit and vegetables. Try to avoid sugar and other refined foods.  

Vitamin C: old hat but a very effective old hat. It boosts immunity. Try upping your daily Vitamin C intake during the winter months, and not just when you feel the first sniffle coming on. Stress (external or internal) depletes it. That’s bad news for most of us! Fruit and veg should contain lots but you need to be eating fresh, local and raw (and I don’t advise too much raw during winter) to maximise your daily intake. If, however, you eat non-organic, or produce with more air miles than you, or if you like to boil your veg to within an inch or centimetre of its life, then you’ll be getting way too little. Whatever your diet looks like, unless you are a rare species of lesser spotted stress-free human, I suggest a supplement as an insurance policy.       

Echinacea: great for boosting immunity. It’s best to take for short spells at a time – say 6 weeks followed by a 4 week break.

Pre/probiotics. These are your digestive system’s helpmates. In exchange for food and shelter they help to keep your digestion in good working order. You can get a certain amount of healthy bacteria from fermented food, but I recommend a regular boost of pre/probiotics in supplement form. If you want advice on which to buy, drop me a line.

And if you do get a cold …. What then?

It’s not a case of beating yourself up – but a chance to go gentle on yourself. Start by clearing your diary for at least a day. Cut the martyr act, soldiering into work, Lemsip and Kleenex in hand. Firstly, you won’t be popular, but more importantly, precious energy needed to deal with the cold is being used on STRESS. Late trains, tricky bosses, customers, you name it. Result: the cold lingers. How many people have you heard tell of a cough that won’t shift for weeks? Rest and sleep are great healers. A couple of early nights and perhaps a lazy day in bed can work wonders.   

Keep up your fluids (by that I mean water; not tea and coffee!). Hot water with fresh lemon and ginger is an old favourite and, if your throat has joined in, a little honey is nice and soothing.

Go easy on eating. You want your body to use its energy on working through that cold rather than digesting a hearty three course meal.  It’s a myth to “feed a cold”. The old saying is actually “if you feed a cold, you have to starve a fever”. A little warm home-made soup is nourishing without putting too much strain on digestion.

Resist the urge to suppress with painkillers and other over-the-counter cold “cures”. A cold is a sign that your body is trying to cleanse, and by suppressing you are holding stuff in that needs to come out – a bit like brushing stuff under the carpet.

Upping your daily Vitamin C (to perhaps a few grams a day) and Echinacea can also help give your immune system a helping hand.

A well-loved internal garden. Why you get a pesky cold but your friends don’t

 

A well-loved internal garden. Why you get a pesky cold but your friends don’t !! 

 

A while back, when visiting a friend in Spain, we popped into the local supermarket and I noticed her donning a clear plastic glove whilst picking her fruit and veg so I asked her why. It was a rule of the shop, she said, no doubt to avoid people passing on germs to others!! I had to smile as the area of Spain where she lives is heavily agricultural, with an emphasis on pesticides!! I would have thought that a few germs were nothing compared to the level of harmful pesticides in every mouthful!!

This got me to thinking how paranoid we have become about germs. You only have to watch adverts for cleaning products to see that germs are viewed as the enemy, the reason why we become ill, something to be avoided or eradicated. The truth is, however, that they can do us little harm if our personal “environment” is healthy. Just think about when a cold is doing the rounds. Not everyone “catches” it. So, why is that? When you see flies buzzing around some dung, we cannot blame the flies for making it. They are there simply to clear it up.

Nowadays, our medical thinking is very much based on the “germ theory of disease” which was proposed by a French chemist, Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895). What it suggests is that we are innocent bystanders, and when “attacked” by germs can become ill.  It’s pretty much a mindset of “it’s nothing to do with me”.

A contemporary of his, also a French chemist, Antoine Bechamp (1816-1908), thought otherwise. In fact Pasteur, on his death bed, renounced his germ theory, but by then it was well embedded into Western thinking, and remains today as one of the foundations of our medical system.  

 

What Bechamp believed was that we manifest disease. If our internal environment is really poor, he said that we could literally “grow” disease. Not a pleasant thought. If, on the other hand, we tended our internal environment, as we would a well-loved garden, then we could literally grow and maintain health. Sound good? The only drawback (if you can see it as such) to accepting Bechamp’s theory is that we can no longer simply blame exterior things for our illness, but instead have to take personal responsibility for our health.  

I believe in a combination. There are germs, but if our internal environment is robust, we shouldn’t succumb to a lot of these things, at least not as frequently or as severely.

The conventional view of disease is very much on being a war against external forces, and is probably one of the reasons why nutrition (which helps to build a healthy internal environment) does not play a part in medical thinking.

Tending our environment, like a garden of beautiful flowers, should be a joy. Eating healthily to nurture our bodies, thinking positively, nurturing loving relationships and friendships, and trying to neutralise our stress all help to grow our personal environment.

So, what would you prefer? Would you rather sit in fear of this germ and that germ, then probably “catch” it anyway? Fear puts a stress on our internal environment and makes us more susceptible to becoming ill. Better by far to tend your internal garden and stay healthy. J    
So next time a pesky cold is doing the rounds and you catch it, use it as a gentle reminder that perhaps you haven’t been tending your internal garden as well as you should and start to look after yourself a little better. 

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Easy Peasy Healthy Jam Recipe

 

Easy-peasy healthy jam recipe JJ 

2 cups raspberries / blueberries / blackberries (about 2 punnets)

1 tablespoon honey (less if you don’t like it too sweet)
1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked in 2 tablespoons water for 30 mins

Blend until smooth and keep refrigerated.

 

Told you it was easy-peasy!!!

Raw Carrot and Coconut Cake

Raw Carrot and Coconut Cake

(Raw-ish ..... see note by honey)

 

Cake  

·       2.5 cups of finely grated carrots (about 3-4 large carrots) (I used my Breville Juicer so that some moisture was retained in the pulp. I then used the pulp and a little of the carrot juice)
·       1 cup walnuts (pre-soaked and drained)
·       1 cup pitted dates (pre-soaked and drained BUT KEEP soak water – may need for cake / topping)
·       0.5 cup of unsweetened shredded dried coconut  
·       1.5 teasp cinnamon  
·       0.5 tsp nutmeg (Don’t want more than this as it overpowers the flavour)
·       Pinch of Himalayan salt
·       Juice of 1 orange (to be used to soak the raisins) 
·       0.5 cup of raisins (pre-soaked in the orange juice. The raisins plump up and absorb most of it)

 Cashew Cream Topping      (If you want a creamer cake make 1.5 – 2 times this quantity)

·       1 cup cashews (pre-soaked and drained)
·       1/4 cup water (use the date soak water above if any left)
·       Good dessertspoon honey (melted if solid) (for those you want a 100% raw cake - use raw honey)   
·       Good dessertspoon of coconut oil (enough solid to sit on a dessertspoon!!), melted 
·       Zest of 1 lemon + a little juice (approx 1 dessertspoon) - to taste
·       Pinch of Himalayan salt
·       1 - 2 teasp vanilla essence    

·       Walnuts and extra cinnamon for finish

Method

Cake
·       Grate carrots and place in large bowl. (If juicing, use the pulp and most of the juice).
·       In a food processor / blender, blend together walnuts and dates until smooth. If needed add a little of the date soak water.
·       Add this mix + coconut, spices and salt to the carrots, and mix well together.
·       Finally stir in raisins (do not blend as want these whole).
·       Note – if wanted, could reserve an odd walnut and date and chop finely, then stir in too.
·       Pack into a flan dish (approx. 7 - 8 inch square). The cake should stand about 1 inch tall.

Topping 

·       Drain and rinse soaked cashews in clean water.
·       Melt the oil and honey in a glass dish over a pan of boiling water.
·       In a food processor / blender combine all the ingredients and blend until VERY smooth. Adjust lemon juice to taste.    
·       Spread onto cake.

Finally

·       Put in fridge for a AT LEAST few hours before serving. I prefer to leave it overnight to allow the flavours to meld J
·       Top with some extra walnut pieces and a light sifting of cinnamon if desired.
·       Cut cake with warm knife.
·       ENJOY!!! JJ

What have you and your pet guinea pig got in common?

What have you and your pet guinea pig got in common? JJ

Answer: humans, guinea pigs, apes and some fruit bats are the only mammals that do not make their own Vitamin C, so we have to eat lots of the right foods to enjoy its benefits. 

 Let’s face it, though, Vitamin C seems a bit “old hat” nowadays. Open any health magazine and there is likely to be some superstar nutrient boasting umpteen times greater antioxidant power than our faithful friend. (Antioxidants = “good guys” which fight the “bad guy” cell-damaging free radicals.)  It is therefore easy to get seduced into thinking that perhaps Vitamin C is a little redundant, but nothing could be further from the truth ……………..

A bit of History

Vitamin C deficiency was big in our ancestors’ days, and scurvy was commonplace especially on long sea voyages, when many a ship lost a large proportion of its crew to the disease. In 1747 a Scottish Naval Surgeon, James Lind experimented with fresh fruit and veg to keep scurvy at bay, with good results. Despite this, however, it took the British Navy until 1804 to make it mandatory for each sailor to be allotted limes – hence the name “limies” given to British sailors.

Roll on to the 1930s when the Hungarian scientist Albert Szent-Gyorgi isolated and identified Vitamin C and named it Ascorbic Acid, which literally means “no scurvy” (“scorbutus” is the Latin name for scurvy). For this he received the Nobel Prize in 1937.    

Why is it good for you? 

First of all we don’t want scurvy, but what exactly is this? Well, Vitamin C is vital for making collagen, the “glue” which holds a lot of our tissues together, including the artery walls. Without this, thousands of tiny lesions can break out and cause havoc. Scurvy is best known for bleeding gums and as a result teeth falling out, but a lime-deficient sailor of the 18^th century would have suffered internal bleeding too as his blood vessels literally liquidised. Not a happy way to die. Today we vilify cholesterol as a major cause of heart disease, but truth be told, it’s the equivalent of blaming an ambulance for the accident at which it is helping. Cholesterol is simply Nature’s Band-Aid and is used to patch up weakened artery walls caused by Vitamin C (and other) deficiency. So bottom line is – if you want a healthy heart – get yourself a load of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a potent Antioxidant (as said above), it aids in the healing of wounds and plays a big part in maintaining a healthy immune system.                

Unfortunately Vitamin C and glucose share the same receptor site on cell membranes (receptor sites are effectively the channels through which something passes into a cell).  This is a problem because the glucose takes priority.  D’oh!! A bit of a design flaw but I’m guessing when the blueprint for receptor sites was finalised, there weren’t too many Mars bars growing on trees. J So next time you are fighting an infection, such as a pesky cold, resist the sugary snacks and dose up on Vitamin C.  Vitamin C will have a fighting chance of actually getting into cells and thus help to boost your immune defences. Better still, keep good levels of Vitamin C in your body at all times.   

Unfortunately Vitamin C is a sensitive creature, so although fruit and vegetables contain a lot, sinking your teeth into an orange doesn’t guarantee you a boost of this lovely nutrient. A lot of produce is picked well before its full nutrient content can be realised; storage and travel time deplete it further; and cooking pretty much destroys what’s left. Fresh, organic and raw is the best way to ensure maximum levels. If you do cook vegetables, then steam for a short time only so that they are hot but still crunchy.

Supplements are a good idea to boost levels. Choose a good quality supplement; one which contains bioflavonoids, so that the body recognises what to do with it. Spreading your intake throughout the day is a good way of maintaining a consistently good level in the body. If you are a stressed bunny, then it’s a good idea to up your Vitamin C, as it’s gobbled up by your body whilst busy making stress hormones.        

If you would like advice on a good Vitamin C supplement to suit you, then please contact me. See my website www.judithreidnaturalhealth.co.uk for details.

There is good reason your guinea pig likes munching on crunchy veg!!! JJ    

Time to Reinvent YOU

 

Time to reinvent you  JJ

No sooner have we become accustomed to the sunshine and wearing summery things (ok not wall-to-wall but it’s given us its best shot this year, don’t you think?), than we find ourselves approaching autumn once more. September for many households is all about “Back to School”, not just for youngsters but for those pursuing adult courses. It’s an opportunity to learn new things, meet new friends and in some cases reinvent ourselves. I know when I ventured on my naturopathic nutrition course – oh so many years ago – it opened doors that I didn’t even know existed. It introduced me to a new way of thinking which turned my world upside down and with it my health – or in my case, transformed my lack of health to more energy and a feeling of wellbeing, which I hadn’t had for a VERY long time.   

 

So let’s take the “Vibrancy quiz”.

My question to you is – on a scale of 0 to 10 (where 0 doesn’t even register, 1 is extremely poor / low, to 10 which is brilliant/ vibrant/ flying high or not applicable) how do you rate on the following? Be honest with yourself!!

* Energy levels

* Physical wellbeing

* Mental and emotional wellbeing

* Weight management

* Coping with Stress

* Coping with a niggling health complaint

* Coping with a serious getting-in-the-way-of-life complaint

* Pain-free, ache-free

* Enjoying a comfortable and smooth-running digestive system

* Coping with life in general!

* Fulfilling your potential

If you scored 7 or less on any of these, it’s time to reinvent yourself, and the good news is YOU CAN.  J  By embracing new ideas and a healthy diet, I literally ate my way back to health, and waved goodbye to M.E. for good. We have far more control over our own health and wellbeing than we are led to believe by so called experts including, sadly, doctors who in the past haven’t had a Scooby-doo what to do with me and have told me “to learn to live with it”.  (D’oh?!)

It’s not easy to take the first steps to a new you on your own, especially when it comes to diet. I took mine with the support of college friends, but realise that not everyone wants to enrol on a 2-year course!

 

Fancy unearthing a “new you”?  I offer 1:1s and group events to help you on your way.  Why not consider   

J My introductory talk “How Happy Are your Cells” is a wonderful starter for ten to get you thinking about the basics. “This is a BRILLIANT talk…. I consider myself as a healthy person so was surprised how much I learnt when I heard this talk, as it is so jam-packed with info…….I guarantee you will leave inspired and much more aware of how to make your cells happy!“   Next = Mon 30 Sep, 8pm   

J My “Nourish to Flourish” weekend workshop is packed with info, tips, tasters, handouts and recipes and gives you a great all-round view of what a healthy diet can do for you. It can literally change you from the inside out. ”Your course stripped everything bare and helped me to look deeper into a way of life of all things natural, in relation to lifestyle, diet, stress etc., essentially the bigger and complete picture.  Your delivery is easy to follow and the handouts are excellent, covering everything which we are now able to read and re-read at home. I felt refreshed just as a result of our weekend, of listening and learning and sharing, and came home well informed and inspired to start to make changes along the natural nutrition journey”    Next = Sat / Sun 14/15 Sep at 10.30 – 16.30 both days.  Lunch included.  

 

See my Talks and Workshops page for more details of both events

J 1:1 consultations to meet individual needs and concerns.  

During September / October, I am offering a £10 discount on your first consultation and £5 off all follow ups.  

 

If interested in any of the above - drop me a line or phone me. Contact details at www.judithreidnaturalhealth.co.uk

 

Basil Green Smoothie Recipe

BASIL GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Green smoothies are a fabuloso way of starting the day. Hydrating and alkalising, packed with goodness and yumminess, not to mention fibre for a slow release of energy throughout the morning. Why oh why would one eat soggy cornflakes instead?  (mmmmmmm?)

Basil has been a long-standing favourite in my kitchen, but ashamedly I have used it in very little apart from homemade pesto and as an extra leafy thing in a green salad (both delish).

Whilst trying very hard to “ring the changes” on the greens which go in my breakfast green smoothie, I decided to experiment one day with basil (we had lots in our garden at the time) and it was love at first-taste. 

I had tried mint before and was disappointed by its insistence on being star flavour, thus overriding everything with it, so was a little cautious with basil at first. No need. It adds a certain depth and plays its part without screaming “I’m here”. It has become such a favourite ingredient that our plants are stripped bare and I’m going to have to go foraging elsewhere for it (well – OK – buy it at my local food market)

The following serves 2 people ……….

BASE

A mix of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries with water

GREENS

Good helping of Rocket
Good helping of Basil   

EXTRAS

1 avocado
3 Bananas
Good 1 – 2 dessertspoons shelled Hemp seeds

Enjoy!!