When I think of kale, I visualise a powerful and strong cancer fighting food. Kale is one of the most important foods for cancer prevention and it belongs in the Cabbage family. Other members of this family include broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. The two most prominent health benefits of eating these foods are that they can help prevent cancer and they are highly anti -inflammatory.
Research shows women who eat kale reduce their susceptibility to cancer at a variety of organ sites but especially the breast. This is due to the active compound glucosinolate which is converted into cancer fighting isothiocyanates. The researchers concluded that foods high in these compounds should be part of a cancer protective diet.
Recent researchers have looked into the role of isothiocyanates and inflammation. It appears that dietary sources of these powerful health promoting compounds such as kale can modify and actively inhibit a key step in inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, obesity and heart disease.
Kale in particular is high in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. If you eat 100 grams of kale you will be loaded with twice the RDI for vitamin A, 2 ½ times the RDI for vitamin C and a huge 10 times the RDI for vitamin K. Remember that vitamins A and C are wonderful antioxidants and keep us looking fabulous both on the inside and outside. Now that is an incredibly therapeutic food! Kale is a perfect detox food as it is high in substances that strongly promote the breakdown of toxins within the liver.
Kale is available from the middle of winter to early spring and look to buy the smaller varieties as they have a sweeter flavour than the larger […]
Kale: A Powerful Cancer Preventative
What is Chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green pigmentation. It absorbs the sunlight and turns the energy from the sun into usable energy through a process called photosynthesis. There are many health benefits associated with consuming chlorophyll.
Health benefits:
Research suggests that chlorophyll has an alkalising effect on your body and consuming it is my number 1 detox tip!
Chlorophyll has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties.
Helps with the growth and repair of tissues.
Helps to neutralize the pollution that we breathe in every day.
Natural deodoriser to reduce bad breath and body odour.
Neutralizes free radicals that do damage to healthy cells.
Research suggests that chlorophyll has potential in stimulating red blood cells to improve oxygen supply.
Useful in assimilating and chelating calcium and other heavy metals.
Delivers magnesium and helps the blood in carrying oxygen to all cells and tissues.
Foods sources:
The main sources of chlorophyll are green leafy plants however the therapeutic benefits are destroyed during cooking therefore supplements are the best option. Chlorophyll supplements are available as extracts, liquids, capsules and tablets. Other sources of chlorophyll include green tea, alfalfa, parsley, spirulina and barley grass.
Combat Your Cold Sores…
Cold sores are small blisters that appear on the mouth or inside the nose and are caused by the Herpes simplex virus. They can be transmitted by sharing eating utensils, drinking from the same glass/bottle or via contact like kissing. Over 70% of Australian’s carry the Herpes simplex 1 virus!
Outbreaks of cold sores occur when a person’s immune system is compromised when they are sick, run down or stressed and can also be activated from sunburn or exposure to cold.
The best way to prevent cold sores is to enhance your immune system with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and a healthy balanced diet and cut out things that aggravate them.
Zinc: A trace element that supports the immune system as well as promotes healthy skin and wound healing.
Vitamin C: Involved in the function of antibodies and white blood cells therefore important for the immune system. Research suggests that Vitamin C has the ability to reduce the severity and duration of colds as well promote wound healing. It is also an important vitamin in improving capillary permeability and a potent antioxidant!
L-lysine: An amino acid that has been proven to reduce the severity and frequency of cold sore outbreaks. Lysine inhibits the DNA replication of the virus and I recommend cold sore sufferers take 500mg/day as a preventative. Foods high in lysine are legumes, sprouts, fish, and dairy.
Cut out/reduce
L-arginine: This is an amino acid that aggravates the Herpes simplex 1 virus. Foods high in L-arginine are chocolate, nuts, carob, coconuts, soya beans, and oats and should be avoided when you can feel a cold sore coming on. If you continuously get cold sores it might be best to completely cut these foods out of your […]
Vegies From Under The Sea…
These interesting sea creatures are packed full of nutrients and minerals like iron, iodine, calcium, Vitamin A,B,C, manganese and magnesium. Sea Vegetables are great for your teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails and help to keep your thyroid in good health. Research has investigated the cholesterol lowering properties as well as positive effects on cancer prevention.
You may be thinking that they are going to taste like seaweed fresh from the sea but they really don’t have a strong taste especially once you add them to your food.
Different types of sea vegetables
Kombu: Looks like a long stick of seaweed and is highly alkaline. When added to water it becomes soft so add it to soups, brown rice and quinoa.
Nori: Sheets of nori is what is wrapped around nori rolls. You can use these sheets by adding your own ingredients to them and rolling up or otherwise tear the nori into strips and add to salads, rice dishes, vegies and soups.
Arame: This is a species of kelp and can also be added as a garnish to dishes or eaten on its on own with some tamari and ginger.
Wakame: Soak wakame in water before adding to salads or add it in the last couple of minutes to your cooking. Wakame has probably the strongest taste out of all the varieties above but super delicious!
Start experimenting with sea vegetables today!
Get To Know Your Skin Care Products
I found this brilliant article from the EWG website (Environmental Working Group). I love this website for their latest research and informative tips about toxins, chemicals, health, sustainablity, natural resources and energy choices!
Know the ingredients in your personal care products
Better products are truthful in their marketing claims and free of potentially worrisome ingredients. Some products might make claims like “gentle” or “natural,” but since the government does not require safety testing, personal care product manufacturers can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks.
How to read a label
Every personal care product must list its ingredients. Here’s how to navigate the label:
· Start at the end, with preservatives. Avoid:
– Words ending in “Parabens”
– DMDM hydantoil
– Imidazolidinyl urea
– Methylchloroisothiazolinone
– Methylisothiazolinone
– Triclosan
– Triclocarban
– Triethanolamine (or “TEA”)
· Check the beginning of the ingredients lists, where soaps, surfactants, and lubricants show up. Try to avoid ingredients that start with “PEG” or have an “-eth” in the middle (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate).
· Read the ingredients in the middle. Look for these words: “FRAGRANCE,” “FD&C,” or “D&C.”
For grown-ups
Many parents pay more attention to their kids’ environmental health than their own, but adult bodies can be affected by toxic chemicals, too. EWG’s Safer Shopping List has nine common-sense tips to reduce everyone’s exposures. For instance, buy fragrance-free, skip the nail polish and use fewer products.
Just for kids
Extra caution is in order for kids because, pound for pound, they are exposed to more contaminants in everyday products than adults. Their immature metabolism and organ systems are typically less capable of fending off chemical assaults. Even subtle damage to young bodies can lead to disease later in life.
Follow EWG’s top five tips for kids:
1. Use fewer products and use them […]
The 6 Foods to Beat Inflammation
Who would have thought you could eat your pain away?? Consuming foods that have anti-inflammatory actions can noticeably reduce or prevent the inflammation you’re experiencing.
Inflammation is the body’s natural mechanism that is stimulated by our immune system to combat an injury to tissue or infection. Inflammation can present as heat, redness, pain and swelling and chronic inflammation can lead to chronic disease. Nourishing the body with foods that are rich in anti-inflammatory properties is a perfect way to keep your inflammation under control.
6 Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Foods.
Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acid: Powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can be found in cold-water oily fish (sardines, mackerel, tuna, salmon), flaxseeds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
Olive Oil: Another great source of an anti-inflammatory food is cold pressed extra virgin olive oil because it contains oleic acid. Research suggests that olive oil provides anti-inflammatory actions as well as antioxidant properties. Drizzle a little bit on your salad today!
Garlic: This is a staple add on to any meal. Fresh garlic is a powerful anti-inflammatory that contains compounds that inhibit inflammatory prostaglandins therefore helping to reduce inflammation!
Vitamin C: has also been shown to reduce inflammation, as a recent study at the University of California in Berkeley demonstrated. Researchers showed that Vitamin C can lower levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease and diabetes. Vitamin C-rich foods include kiwi fruit, capsicum, tomatoes, broccoli, citrus fruits and berries.
Curcuma longa: Turmeric has been used for centuries as a medicinal tool in India and China to treat bruises, menstrual pain, flatulence and more. The pigment that is responsible for the yellow-orange colour, curcumin, has been shown to […]
Healthy Digestion = Happy Digestion!
It’s fair to say that we have all suffered from gut problems at some point in our lives whether it be cramping, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea. Digestive health problems are on the rise, in fact two thirds of Australians are suffering from some sort of gastrointestinal illness. It’s important to nourish your gut with simple nutritional foods as well as healthy eating habits (smaller portions, more frequently). Here are some ideas of ways to maintain a healthy gut:
Drink plenty of water: the gut needs help flushing out toxins and assisting with elimination of waste products.
Probiotics: known as the ‘good’ bacteria, probiotics are live microorganisms that assist in improving intestinal microbial balance. If possible, buy a good quality probiotic from your healthcare practitioner so that you are receiving many strains of bacterium. Some yoghurts now contain strains of bacteria to heal the gut.
Foods: eat foods high in fiber (plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes). Avoid animal fats, carbonated beverages, caffeine, spicy food, and sugar.
Chew your food: Slow down when eating and don’t over eat!
Breath: Practice deep breathing instead of shallow breathing that most of us are guilty of. Shallow breathing reduces the oxygen available for proper bowel function.
Slippery Elm: this mucilaginous herb, Ulmus rubra, has an affinity with the gastrointestinal tract by soothing the mucous membrane of the bowels, stomach and urinary tract. It’s a nourishing herb that may help with diarrhoea, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, diverticulitis, peptic ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
A comprehensive Detox is the perfect way to alleviate bloating, gas, fatigue and constipation. So remember, eat simply, eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetable, whole grains, drink plenty of water, chew slowly and be […]
Time For A Good Nights Sleep!
When was the last time you had a decent sleep? We live in such a busy world now that it has become rare to have a blissful sleep every night, instead we process thoughts, ideas, jobs to be done….the list goes on.
During sleep our body repairs cells that have been damaged by free radicals so when the body is sleeping, metabolism is slowed down and our bodily systems like the nervous and digestive system becomes inactive. This is why sleep is so important because the body needs to rest and rejuvinate.
Firstly, go to bed when you are tired rather then sitting in bed tossing and turning. Make sure you end the night in a relaxing manner so put your computer away, turn your TV off and for the last half hour to an hour read a book, magazine or listen to music. Let your mind rest and if it’s still racing (like mine) write your ideas down whether it’s your shopping list, ideas for work or even just organizing your schedule for the following day. You’ll be amazed how good it feels to let go of your thoughts.
Ensure that your room is dark and free from noise. If you can’t avoid the noise then it may be a good idea to buy ear plugs.
Some helpful herbs:
Chamomile tea before bed is a great way to relax the body and assist with sleep maintenance. All you need to do is steep a teabag in hot water for about 10min then slowly drink it half an hour before you go to bed. It’s a beautiful nourishing herb that not only works as a sedative but it also has the ability to work as an anti inflammatory, […]
Mission Beach, Tolstoy and the latest from Emma
I was recently in Mission Beach and it had been 3 weeks since cyclone Yasi hit. I have never been to this part of Australia before and many people had told me of its absolute beauty and the “paradise on earth” feel to it. After a few days in sunny green Cairns, Mission Beach looked strangely desolate and completely different. The trees were stark and lifeless, the air was heavy with oppressive energy and the beach was almost nonexistent.The rain was torrential and I have never experienced such downpours before. I remember the sound of rain waking me up at night and as I lay there listening I wondered if it was possible for it to rain any more. And being in Mission Beach got me thinking – my life is fairly uneventful in the scope of disaster. I live in lovely Sydney where nothing ever seems to go wrong, we don’t have to contend with bushfires, floods, cyclones or earthquakes.And my empathy and heart went out to all the people affected by the plethora of natural disasters that have occurred over the last few months. Since being in that space, my heart has been filled with gratitude at the abundance in my life. For now, I am going to concentrate on the small things – smiling at random strangers as I wizz by on my bike, give myself flowers, express my love freely and nourish myself with amazing food.As Tolstoy says “Everything I know, I know only because I love”. I found the most perfect shell while walking along the beach. It just reminded me that amongst the debris and destruction there is always a little bit of beauty to be found.If you […]
Day 28 – Broccoli Sprouts, a Superfood that I LOVE!
I go to the organic markets each Saturday and buy fresh 3 day old broccoli sprouts. I love adding them to my salads and their taste is absolutely delicious. I am always hearing about the latest “super food” that cures everything from insomnia to cancer. The vast amount of research that I have read on broccoli sprouts is very compelling – I am convinced that the high levels of sulphoraphane are incredibly beneficial. So, go ahead and start adding this incredibly therapeutic food to your diet. This is the epitome of “food as medicine!”A new study suggests an easy way to reduce the risk of a bacteria associated with stomach cancer: eat broccoli sprouts. In a study conducted among 48 men and women from Japan, Johns Hopkins investigators found those who ate 70 grams of fresh broccoli sprouts a day significantly reduced the H. pylori in their stomachs.All of the participants tested positive for the bacteria. The researchers then randomized them to either 70 grams of broccoli sprouts per day or a similar amount of alfalfa sprouts. The subjects were retested for H. pylori at four and eight weeks. By the final follow up, the broccoli sprouts had done the trick. People who ate the alfalfa sprouts showed no change in the degree of infection.This study supports the emerging evidence that broccoli sprouts may be able to prevent cancer in humans, not just in lab animals, study author Jed Fahey, Sc.D., was quoted as saying.Broccoli sprouts are rich in Sulforaphane, a naturally occurring phytochemical that enhances the cancer-protective capacity of animal cells. According to studies by Dr. Paul Talalay and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, sulforaphane induces Phase 2 detoxification enzymes. […]
