The Defence Boosters - Never too young to start! - Part 1

So after a very long hiatus in my nutrition studies I finally picked up one of my many books the other day while waiting to go into a Sunday morning Yoga class (got to maximise every moment of "free" time that I can).  I looked at the book,  and thought where do I start.  I'm not a fan of starting at the beginning so I let fate decide and randomly opened the book, it opened at a chapter on Flavonoids and Isoflavones - part of the defence boosters!  I have read a lot about these in the past,  mostly in a book called  "Anticancer - A New Way of Life" http://www.anticancerbook.com/  which I have to say is such a great uplifting book, that I think everyone should read it!  It got me into a few good habits which have stuck with me like drinking green tea on a daily basis, switching from milk to dark chocolate and feeling good about drinking red wine:)

So I will start with the Flavonoids and Isoflavones  and  I will try to keep this as short/concise as possible.

Flavonoids are substances found in plants which can protect the body against a wide range of diseases. They can cut heart disease and slow the spread of cancer.  They are powerful anti-oxidants and protect the blood vessels - easing vein disorders and symptoms of diabetes.

Good flavonoid sources are (type of flavonoid in brackets):

• Red and yellow onions, shallots, apples (quercitin)
• Grapeseed, red wine(shiraz, merlot and pinot noir are good ones, darker the better), supplements of the following: maritime pine bark, haws, flowers and bark of hawthorn (procyanidins) Porcyanidins have been shown to protect animals from radiation - Chernobyl victims were advised to drink Crimean red wine!!!
• Walnuts, blackberries, pecan nuts (elagic acid) 
• Coffee (caffeic acid)
• Tomatoes (chlorogenic acid)
• Green tea, black tea (catechins)
• Rosemary (carnosic acid)

The highest concentration of flavonoids is found in the leaves, skin, peel or seeds of fruits and vegetables - so be mindful to wash and not throw away the skins! It is possible to take flavonoids as supplements if you feel you can take any of the above

Soy beans and the isoflavones in soy may be the single most important anti-cancer food source.  Soy contains 6 of the most powerful anti-cancer ingredients known - most powerful of all is genistein which you can now take as a supplement. Soy can lower cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease.  Soy lowers LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol.

Its very, very important nutritionally and politically to use NON GMO  soy and soy products.  It's also wise to use Soy in moderation, eating tofu 2-3 times per week and try to avoid processed soy products - its not how nature intended for them to be used!

Other important ingredients to incorporate into your diet here are turmeric (curcumin) and garlic.

Family friendly recipes to follow.....

Nice Rice?

So not sure if this is going down in Europe as well? But here in the States, two recent studies published data that shows alarming levels of arsenic have been found in American rice and rice products.  It's been known for some time now, but only recently been published by two well know bodies the US Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Reports magazine.  It will take some time for the FDA to come up with new regulations and for us to really know exactly what is in our rice and water for that matter, but in the mean time for those who are concerned I would suggest:

1. Minimizing the amount of rice consumed on a weekly basis - perhaps once!
2. When cooking rice - use lots of water, like cooking pasta, this will dilute any arsenic residue.
3.  See this link from the EWG with some great tips:
http://www.enviroblog.org/2012/09/getting-arsenic-out-of-your-and-your-kids-diet.html?utm_source=2012arsenicfull&utm_medium=email&utm_content=first-link&utm_campaign=toxic  

Mia's playdate

Mia had a playdate last week that went over lunch time,  she asked if she could make lunch.  Sure I said what would you like to make?  She said that green stuff you put over pasta and orange juice!

She had helped me make pesto a few weeks ago as I took inspiration from my very healthy basil plant which I have had for over a month and still looks really great!  We made it very quickly and it tasted great.

The orange juice was due to a crate of oranges we had received from our neighbor Howard, who every now and then leaves oranges for us after visiting his Orchard in Ojai.  Ugly looking organic oranges which are very sweet and great for juicing!

Orange juice was easy,  we have a simple glass squeezer but its fun to use and we got about a decent glass from 6 oranges.

Pesto was easy too - only I didn't have pine nuts in the house so we used walnuts instead.  We used a hand blender which made this green stuff in minutes.

4 handfulls of freshly picked basil
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts or any nuts you like to try
3/4 cup of olive oil or enough to make the consistency of pesto you like
pinch of black pepper (salt may not be necessary due to the cheese, taste first and then decide if you need to add any).

1. Throw all ingredients in a bowl or jug and put the hand blender on for a minute or two.  Serve over hot pasta.

Mojitoish Smoothie

I got this recipe from a great blog http://mynewroots.blogspot.ca/ Not sure if I have referenced it before or not, but its good, really good and very inspiring!

So I have made this one a few times and each time I change some of the ingredients, either to suit what I have at home or depending on who I am making it for.  When I make it for the kids I substitue apple juice for the nutmilk/coconut water and leave out the dates (apple juice is sweet enough).  For Rich who is limiting his carb intake I make it with the coconut water and use only half a banana and no dates.  Every time its delicious and very filling.  Have yet to make it a real mojito and add the rum but sure i will find a friend to do that with soon!!


The Mojito Smoothie
Serves 2 as a snack, 1 as a meal

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups nut milk or coconut water
3 Tbsp. hulled hemp seeds
½-1 tsp. spirulina (whatever you can handle)
4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 avocado
1 frozen banana
2 dates, pitted
handful fresh mint leaves (20-25 leaves)

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until all the ingredients are mixed and you have the consistency that you like.  Serve over ice and enjoy!  

Kombucha with Rice and Beans.....

We just got back from a whistlestop trip to the dessert.  Friday night in Palm Springs at the very luxurious http://www.theparkerpalmsprings.com/index.php, food by the pool (most amazing corn off the cob soup, which I will post the recipe I think will best match what we ate) and then a trip to Joshua Tree - amazing what a feast for the eyes!!!! On the way back we stopped at a small local Health Food Store, Natural Sisters Cafe,  to get the kids some food - we took their special which was brown rice with black beans,  served with sour cream, cheese and salsa  and to drink Kombucha.  On the way home I thought how this meal has become a staple in our Californian diet - not one we consumed before coming here or one I would have thought that nutritional.  However using good quality ingredients and throwing in few raw vegetables to boot you have a very nutritious and easy meal for the whole family.  See recipe below.
Another Californian staple drink is Kombucha, which recently seen a rebirth in popularity - to be drunk in moderation and with caution for kids (you really need to know where its coming from before giving it to kids)  I would love to hear from anyone out there who either makes their own, drinks it on a regular basis or is a fan.....

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium, low fat vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained (or dried, soaked and cooked as per directions on the packaging).

1. In a stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes.

2. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes.

3. Heat the black beans and add the spices.

Serve together with a side of guacamole, salsa, cucumber sticks, pepper sticks, carrot sticks and any other vegetables you like!

Sugar - The sweet truth!

I have wanted to do a post for some time now on sugar.  Its a huge topic/issue and one that will take time to digest and form a succinct view on.

However in the meantime, I wanted to share this link to a post in a fantastic food blog http://www.foodrenegade.com/,  who give a great basic outline of natural sugars v's refined manufacturers,  have to say all my agave went in the bin after reading this!
http://www.foodrenegade.com/my-natural-sweeteners-of-choice/

Apple Cider Vinegar

My daughter has been producing a greenish mucus for the past couple of months.  It does not bother her,  she has no other symptoms, no fever, no signs of anything else going on.  It bothers me though and I want to ge to the root of what's going on.  I have a gut feeling that there may be an allergy or possibly the end of an infection that she fought herself without me knowing!  I will make an appointment with an allergist to see if anything comes up, but for some reason Apple Cider Vinegar came up in my head the other day, and I seem to remember someone in Amsterdam (I think it was our doctor) recommending Apple Cider Vinegar for cold symptoms.  I didn't use it but I have been curious.  So anyway I have bought the stuff and started looking into it.

There appears to be a whole host of benefits associated with using this natural product and I am curious to see the effects myself.  The import thing when buying this product is to make sure it is unfiltered and especially in the US, organic.  It should be cloudy not clear and have some sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

Here you can find a link that I liked giving you directions on how to take it and also listing the benefits.  I would suggest for colds/mucus problems serving it warm and for children use as much as the child will take!

I will report back on any effects I note on using the product and search for any great recipes!

Feeling Run Down?

I have a friend in the UK suffering from a chest infection and generally feeling run down.  I have looked through my books and put together this list of supplements and food advice to try to help boost her immune and fight the infection  in her chest and lungs.  I thought it might be interesting to share for anyone else feeling run down, tired or who might have an infection lurking around.

Floradix - http://www.floradix.net/I can't recommend this product high enough!  It's the most effective thing I have ever taken to help fight exhaustion.  It was first recommended to me whilst pregnant with both my babies in Amsterdam - It is plant based and not synthetic and unlike the usual Iron supplements this product will not make you constipated - it tastes pretty vile but I like to think its like taking a nip of whisky and then I wash it down with a drink of orange juice to ge the taste away whilst consuming the Vitamin C will help with the absorption of the Iron. 

Vitamin C in powder form(easier to absorb than tablet form, also means your not getting any additional ingredients and will save you money, always buy the best quality one possible) - best way to boost your immune, and general do good'er (high doses have been proven to fight cancer), this is the one I take, sure you can get an equivalent in the UK if you can't get this one - 
http://www.nutricology.com/Buffered-Vitamin-C-240-Grams-8.5-oz-Powder-p-16435.html

Black Radish supplement - this is a great all round health supplement and will specifically help in boosting respiratory tract health
http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/black-radish.cfm

Vitamin E and Vitamin A - either in supplement or try to get from food - if you want a supplement try to get natural and not synthetically made - here is a list of foods containing Vitamin E 
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vitamin-E.php
and Vitamin A http://drbenkim.com/nutrient-vitamina.htm

Good fats - if you are not eating oily fish and nuts every day then supplement with a good Omega 3 and 6 oil capsule something like this, if you can get it in the UK 
http://www.yes-supplements.com/YES-Supps.com/ultimate-efas.htmlally feeling run down and very tired.  I looked through my


Diet Advice :


Avoid red meant and dairy.  Try eating small and often, lots of green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, whole grains etc.  Avoid the usual suspects in large quantities, alcohol, caffeine, sugar.  A few cups of green tea a day would be a great anti-oxidant boost.