Some of Britain’s best-known foods contain the controversial chemical bisphenol A. Tins of Heinz baked beans, soup and beans, John West and Princes fish, and Napolina tomatoes are lined with a membrane containing bisphenol A, or BPA. Other companies using it in their tins include the biggest retailers in the UK, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, who use it for tins of tuna and sardines.Britain’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has given the chemical the all-clear, in contrast to the US Food and Drug Administration, which in January expressed concern over its impact on the brains and development of young children and said it was “taking reasonable steps to reduce human exposure” to it in the food supply. After the American U-turn, the EU-funded European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) launched and is still carrying out a review of BPA.BPA is an endocrine disruptor that interrupts hormones and, in laboratory experiments on animals, has been linked with breast cancer, prostate cancer, hyperactivity and other metabolic and behavioural problems, diseases which are all on the rise in the West. But the plastics and chemicals industries insist its use is safe and accuse campaigners of misleading the public, pointing to industry-funded studies involving large numbers of rodents that have shown no harm.At stake is the future of one of the highest production volume chemicals in the world. BPA is widely used to harden the plastic casings of mobile phones and computers and makes baby bottles shatterproof. In food products, it commonly lines the inside of cans and tins to protect their contents from being contaminated by the metal.To establish its prevalence in food, The Independent surveyed manufacturers of the UK’s 20 best-selling tinned foods. Although it is not stated […]
All Things Hunter Valley!
I have just spent the last 3 days guest presenting at the Golden Door Health Retreat in the beautiful Hunter Valley. I love to go there as it is a place where people transform and achieve huge goals. My role this week was to take the guests through a series of seminars and a cooking class. The focus was weight loss and how to achieve a healthy state of being. I just love this kind of work and my mission is always to inspire people to achieve an incredible level of health and wellbeing and I was in the perfect place for this!I regularly guest present at this gorgeous retreat and every time I have this experience I love it. The surroundings are rolling hills covered in vineyards. As I look out my window in the morning I can see hot air balloons slowly rising. I was blessed with a Leo full moon and I spent a good hour at the top of meditation hill soaking up the moon rays. It felt exquisite and I was so full of energy that I spent the next 5 hours writing!So if you can take a week away from your life and want to transform your current situation make a trip to the Golden Door. The crew they have are highly trained and they have hand picked the best from every occupation and therapy. There are links below to my various activities from the last few days. If you want more information about what to expect simply email me through my website.I am in the process of organising a 5 day Female Health retreat for January 2011 so let me know what you would be interested in […]
Vitamin B6 Reduces Arthritis – research update
High doses of vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, may reduce inflammatory markers associated with rheumatoid arthritis, researchers report in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system, which normally fights against disease and infection, attacks itself. Unlike osteoarthritis, which only affects the bones and cartilage, rheumatoid arthritis may also cause swelling in other areas of the body.In the 12-week study, 35 adults with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to take either 100 milligrams of vitamin B6 plus 5 milligrams of folic acid or 5 milligrams of folic acid alone daily. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 is 1.3 milligrams for adults who are 19-50 years old.At the beginning and end of the study, the researchers measured the patients’ blood levels of pro-inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The researchers also measured immune responses by recording the number of immune cells present in the blood.IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels significantly decreased in the vitamin B6 group after supplementation, while no significant changes were noted in the folic acid group. However, the number of immune cells was generally similar between the two groups.Many other integrative therapies have been studied as potential treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. For instance, borage seed oil may be beneficial in treating rheumatoid arthritis because it is high in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which has known anti-inflammatory effects. Several human studies suggest that fish oil supplements may improve morning stiffness and joint tenderness.Source: Vitamin B(6) supplementation improves pro-inflammatory responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jun 23.
Acupuncture – Why You Should Do It
Acupuncture treatments appear to help to reduce insulin resistance, according to a report just released from the Kanazawa Medical University in Japan. Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in China and has been increasingly used worldwide for insulin resistance-related diseases.The report was based on the analysis of 234 publications on the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for problems related to insulin resistance. All together, these publications provide clinical evidence indicating that acupuncture is effective for reducing insulin resistance.Researchers at Goteborg University in Sweden published a review article on acupuncture for PCOS. They concluded: “Clearly, acupuncture can affect PCOS via modulation of…the sympathetic nervous system, the endocrine and the neuroendocrine system.”Have you overlooked acupuncture as a wholistic way to help you deal with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance? I love acupuncture and always tell women going through IVF to have sessions before and after their embryo transfer. Acupuncture is also fantastic when women are overdue with their pregnancy and a very easy, non invasive way to get labour started. Maybe you should give it a try.Consider adding an experienced acupuncturist to your personal healthcare team. At Darling Street Health Centre we have a very experienced clinician, Lina Thornton who I can’t say enough great things about!Sources: Liang F et al, Acupuncture: is it effective for treatment of insulin resistance?, Diabetes Obes Metab. 2010 Jul;12(7):555-69Stener-Vuictorin E et al, Acupuncture in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Current Experimental and Clinical Evidence, J Neuroendocrinol. 2008 Mar;20(3):290-8
Miso and Nettle Soup
I adore fresh nettle and have been lucky enough to get my hands on some organic varieties. Just remember to wear gloves as it can give you a mild rash or hives temporarily. Nettle is an incredibly powerful herb and I use it for pregnancy as it is so rich in nutrients. It’s also used for hay fever, dermatitis, arthritis and blood noses.I made some lovely nettle and goats cheese frittatas as my snack at work last week and this week I have made a quick soup. I am sipping on nettle tea as we speak as I didn’t want to waste the stalks. It is a deep green colour and tastes lovely.Ingredients1 litre water2 medium carrots, chopped1 medium onion, chopped1 leek, cut in 1 cm rings2 Tbs quinoa2 Tbs miso, dissolved in a bit of water4 Tbs nettle leaves finely choppedServings: 6The nettle tops should be harvested early in spring when they are still very small (about 5 cm). Only use the small unfolded top leaves.Put carrots, onion, leek and quinoa in water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 min until tapioca is clear and soup is slightly thickened. Stir from time to time to prevent the tapioca from burning. Add the miso and mix to dissolve. Add the chopped nettle leaves and only bring to boiling point. Don’t boil to preserve the vitamins. Serve the miso soup immediately
Coconut Water – the Facts on the Fad
I am just back from an amazing trip to Bali where the beautiful weather and amazing food have totally rejuvenated me! The organic movement is strong there and I discovered many cafes and eco resorts that served incredible juices – my pick was aloe vera juice, tumeric and celery! I met a lot of great people and had my all time best ever yoga class at Desa Seni.I have posted a video on my You Tube channel of the most gorgeous organic cafe so check it out here.So, while in Bali I had coconut water every day and after speaking to the locals realised that it was not just a Western fad. Read further for the scoop!The Facts• Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks.• Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg and energy drinks have about 200 mg.• Coconut water has 5mg of Natural Sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10-25mg of Altered Sugars.• Coconut water is very high in Chloride at 118mg, compared to sports drinks at about 39mg. Data is based on a 100ml drinkCoconut water is the liquid that is taken from unripe coconuts. If coconuts get ripe the liquid that is inside will harden and become a part of the white flesh of the coconutCoconut Water Hydrates the BodyCoconut water is an isotonic solution which replaces the fluids and minerals that the body loses during physical activities. For this reason, many athletes and persons who work out regularly are encouraged to drink coconut water to replace all the minerals and fluid that they lose while working out. Even the United […]
Compelling Research Out – Children and Pesticide Exposure
I have always passionately believed in the importance of eating organic food. Children have smaller and less mature livers than us and chemicals have a greater impact on them. I have long been advising parents to remove pesticides from their children’s diets but having solid research to emphasise this is great. Please be aware that the link between pesticides and behavioural disorders is now compelling! A Harvard based study recently published in Pediatrics demonstrates a link between Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and organophosphate pesticides. The researchers found a strong correlation between the level of pesticides detected in the urine of children and the condition known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Those children with more pesticide exposure were more likely to have ADHD.The researchers concluded: “These findings support the hypothesis that organophosphate exposure, at levels common among US children, may contribute to ADHD prevalence. Prospective studies are needed to establish whether this association is causal.”For the most commonly detected pesticide chemical, dimethylthiophosphate, children with levels higher than the median of detectable concentrations had double the odds of ADHD compared with those with non-detectable levels.”Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) “… is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity),” says the National Institute of Mental Health. The Center for Disease Control said 3% to 7% of school-aged children in the United States had ADHD in 2003, with 2.5 million children medicated for the condition.Exposure, says the Center for Disease Control, does not have to be direct. Eating foods that have organophosphates sprayed on them can contribute to effects on an individuals’ health. So, the only safe […]
Winter Colds & Flus
Well, I can’t believe it but I have a revolting cold! A head filled with congestion, razor blade throat, a nasty cough and I feel miserable. I do find that more clients succumb to infections at the change of season than in winter itself. So I have made a huge batch of my immune boosting soup and wanted to share my recipe with you. Of course this soup is best when totally organic as the nutrient value will be much higher.
Ok so first let me explain why these ingredients are so wonderful for you:
Chicken – perfect protein to support your production of disease fighting immune molecules
Onion – helps to break down mucous
Garlic – a natural antibiotic
Ginger – stimulates circulation enabling more efficient clearing of toxins
Chilli – high in vitamin C
Enoki mushrooms – has properties that are anti cancer so can help fight any nasty bugs
Risoni – a great carbohydrate source for energy
Lemon – uplifts mood
Parsley – high in iron which stimulates immunity
Goji berries – traditionally used in China in convalescence, specifically in broth
Ingredients (use your inutition on quantities)
Chicken thighs
Chicken stock ( I always have some pre made in the freezer)
Onions
Garlic – lots
Ginger – lots
Chilli – lots
Enoki mushrooms
Risoni
Lemon zest and juice
Parsley
Goji berries
Method
Saute onions, garlic, chilli, ginger until soft. Add chicken thighs and brown them. Pour in your stock and simmer. Once chicken is cooked take it out and shred with a fork. Add chicken back in with risoni, Goji berries and enoki mushrooms. To serve, place lemon zest on the bottom of your bowl. Add soup and top off with lemon juice and […]
Winter Colds & Flus
Well, I can’t believe it but I have a revolting cold! A head filled with congestion, razor blade throat, a nasty cough and I feel miserable. I do find that more clients succumb to infections at the change of season than in winter itself. So I have made a huge batch of my immune boosting soup and wanted to share my recipe with you. Of course this soup is best when totally organic as the nutrient value will be much higher.
Ok so first let me explain why these ingredients are so wonderful for you:
Chicken – perfect protein to support your production of disease fighting immune molecules
Onion – helps to break down mucous
Garlic – a natural antibiotic
Ginger – stimulates circulation enabling more efficient clearing of toxins
Chilli – high in vitamin C
Enoki mushrooms – has properties that are anti cancer so can help fight any nasty bugs
Risoni – a great carbohydrate source for energy
Lemon – uplifts mood
Parsley – high in iron which stimulates immunity
Goji berries – traditionally used in China in convalescence, specifically in broths
Ingredients (use your inutition on quantities)
Chicken thighs
Chicken stock ( I always have some pre made in the freezer)
Onions
Garlic – lots
Ginger – lots
Chilli – lots
Enoki mushrooms
Risoni
Lemon zest and juice
Parsley
Goji berries
Method
Saute onions, garlic, chilli, ginger until soft. Add chicken thighs and brown them. Pour in your stock and simmer. Once chicken is cooked take it out and shred with a fork. Add chicken back in with risoni, Goji berries and enoki mushrooms. To serve, place lemon zest on the bottom of your bowl. Add soup and top off with lemon juice and […]
Get Involved with Earth Day on April 22!
Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day by clicking here.
