Archive for June, 2010
Smoothie Recipes
Posted by: | CommentsDuring the beautiful weather we have been having, it can be a great idea to make your own smoothies.
You still get your fruit and veg but without actually having to eat them; and by adding crushed ice they can be very refreshing.
Here are some smoothie recipes for you.
Avocado shake
1 small ripe avocado
1 small ripe banana
250ml soya milk
Chop the banana and avocado add with milk in blender and whizz.
Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamins B, C, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and essential natural fats
Good for: balanced diet – contains all 6 human needs; water, fat, protein, natural sugar, vitamins and minerals
Fruit Smoothie
1 papaya
1 orange
½ pint (3ooml) apple juice
Halve & deseed the papaya, and scoop out the flesh. Place segmented orange, chopped banana and apple juice into blender with papaya and blend. Serve over ice.
Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, Vitamins A, B6 and C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and digestive enzymes
Good for digestion of proteins and gently cleansing the intestines
Quick Hit
125g (4oz) hulled strawberries
1 small ripe mango
½ pint (300ml) orange juice
Roughly chop strawberries and mango flesh and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. Place in blender with orange juice and process until thick.
Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, Vitamins B, B3, C and E, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur and zinc
Good for boosting the immune system
Merry Berry
100g (3½oz) frozen mixed berries/summer fruits
100g (3½oz) canned lychees (drained weight)
100g (3½oz) coconut milk
100g (3½oz) soya milk
Put everything in a blender and whizz.
Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur and zinc
Good for boosting the immune system and slowing down the signs of ageing.
Berry Cream
350ml orange juice
1 banana (sliced)
450g (1lb) frozen forest fruits
Put all in a blender and process.
Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur and zinc
Good for boosting the immune system and slowing down the signs of ageing.
Nutrition and Natural Pregnancy (Part 2)
Posted by: | CommentsNux Vom 12c
The first choice of homeopathic remedy for morning sickness, particularly when it is characterised by retching, indigestion and nausea relieved by vomiting.
How to use
Take 1 dose every 2 hours for up to 3 doses, and repeat whenever sickness recurs.
If there is no improvement, other homeopathic remedies which may help include Ipecac and Pulsatilla.
Papaya (Paw Paw)
During the first few weeks of pregnancy, reduced secretion of hydrochloric acid can result in heartburn and indigestion. This can also happen in the last trimester.
This exotic fruit is one of nature’s best sources of papain, a protein-digesting enzyme that increases the activity of our own digestive enzymes.
It is also a rich source of vitamins.
How to use
Slice a fresh papaya in half, scoop out the seeds and drizzle with fresh lime juice to make a delicious breakfast ‘aperitif’ or refreshing dessert.
Prunes
These dried fruits have a natural laxative effect that help prevent constipation, a problem that affects many pregnant women especially during the later stages of pregnancy.
Being rich in iron, prunes also help to keep anaemia at bay.
How to use
Soak overnight in still bottled or filtered water and add to your breakfast bowl of muesli, or mix with other dried fruits, such as apricots, mangos, apples and pears, to make an appetising compote.
You can also use prunes in fruit loaves, cakes and puddings such as apple and prune crumble.
Raspberry Leaf Tea
One of the few herbal remedies deemed safe for pregnant women.
Raspberry leaf tea should be drunk during the last 3 months of pregnancy to strengthen the uterine and pelvic muscles and so make the birth easier, and post-natally to help restore tone to the pelvic area.
How to use
Make a tea by infusing 28g dried raspberry leaves in 600ml boiling water and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Strain and sip a cupful 3 times a day.
Pure Rose Essential Oil
The essential oil extracted from fresh rose petals has a blissfully romantic and feminine quality.
Surrounding yourself with the aroma throughout pregnancy will help keep your emotions and hormones in balance.
When absorbed through the skin the oil stimulates circulation and helps preserve the skin’s suppleness and youthful glow.
How to use
Add 10 drops pure rose essential oil to 30ml grapeseed or sweet almond oil and massage into your face, breasts and abdomen throughout pregnancy.
Dab a few drops on the pulse points as a perfume, or add 5 drops dissolved in 1tbsp milk to your evening bath and wallow in its aroma.
Salmon
Like other oily fish, salmon is rich in a polyunsaturated fatty acid called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is essential for the development of the brain and nervous system.
Pregnant women need plenty of this essential fatty acid, as the foetal brain produces up to 250,000 nerve cells every minute.
Breast milk is rich in DHA, so if you are breastfeeding it is important to keep reserves for your own body topped up.
How to use
Try to eat fresh, lightly grilled or poached salmon at least twice a week Other good oily fish sources of DHA include sardines, mackerel, tuna, swordfish and herrings.
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Nutrition and Natural Pregnancy
Posted by: | CommentsThere are a number of foods and natural remedies that can be used to enhance both your health and that of your baby.
Calc Fluor
This tissue salt aids the development of strong teeth and bones in babies.
It also helps keep the pelvic area toned and supple, ready for labour, and promotes skin elasticity, helping to prevent stretch marks.
How to use
Take 1 dose twice daily for 10 days, ideally as soon as you realize you are pregnant. It is, however, beneficial at any time during pregnancy.
Chickpeas
These legumes are an ideal vegetarian source of zinc, a mineral that plays a vital role in the formation of healthy new tissues in the unborn baby.
Zinc also helps babies develop a robust immune system.
Low levels have been linked to cravings in early pregnancy and post-natal depression, so ensure a good intake of this nutrient right through your pregnancy.
Chickpeas are also rich in calcium and magnesium – both of which are needed for the formation of babies’ bones – and are an excellent source of folic acid.
How to use
Add sprouted chickpeas to salads.
Alternatively, soak overnight and simmer with other vegetables (for at least 30 minutes) to make soups.
For a light but filling lunch try eating hummus (made from pureed chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini and garlic) with pitta bread, or use as a dip for raw vegetable crudités.
Folic Acid
This vitamin is very important in pregnancy, especially during the first three months.
Studies have shown that 400µg a day in the early stages of pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects in babies, and it may also help prevent premature birth.
How to use
Although folic acid is found in many foods, it is destroyed by cooking.
To ensure an adequate daily intake during the most critical stages of an unborn baby’s development, health practitioners strongly recommend that women take 400µg of folic acid every day if there is any chance of them becoming pregnant.
As it may also help alleviate anxiety and depression, it’s sensible to take folic acid during the whole pregnancy.
Ginger
Studies have shown ginger to be highly effective for easing the nausea associated with morning sickness.
It can also help relieve indigestion, heartburn and travel sickness, and is recommended for poor circulation.
How to use.
To relieve sickness, try sipping warm ginger tea.
To make, put 1tsp fresh grated ginger into a mug of boiling water and infuse for 5 minutes, strain and sweeten with honey.
Alternatively, nibble a few pieces of crystallized ginger, or even plain ginger biscuits.
Wheatgerm Oil
Rich in vitamin E, wheatgerm oil is renowned for its ability to enrich, nourish and preserve the skin, helping to keep it supple and young-looking, and reducing the likelihood of stretch marks appearing.
How to use
Dilute 2tsp wheatgerm oil in 4-5tsp of a lighter carrier oil such as sweet almond.
Massage into the skin, preferably after a bath or shower, concentrating on the abdomen, thighs and breasts which are more prone to stretch marks.
If you have an intolerance or allergy to wheat, substitute wheatgerm oil with pure vitamin E oil.
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