Anti-inflammatories

 HEALTH AMPLIFIED

Anti-inflammatories

We’ve all had that nasty grass burn or “roastie” in our lives. Our daughter recently slid down a grassy hill on an empty box, and got her first real grass burn! It has been quite a story getting this thing healed. Blood, wound fluid, redness. Not for the faint hearted.

Inflammation is an indication that your body is fighting damaged cells, viruses and bacteria, be it from a cut, burn, or any injury. It is the body’s natural defence against an underlying issue. Inflammation can be treated in many ways, but as I mentioned, it is the body’s natural fighting mechanism, usually showing up as redness and swelling. You can use essential oils, ointments, prescription medication etc. The question is, are you using it for a short period, or has it become part of your lifestyle and become chronic medication?

Chronic anti-inflammatories should not become the norm. You should be looking at natural alternatives and see where you can make lifestyle changes. Chemical anti-inflammatories come with a long list of side effects, where you might end up using more medication to treat those symptoms. Please read your labels!

Chemical anti-inflammatories reduce swelling and pain which affect the central nervous system. What it does is block pain that is signalled to the brain. Long term use can lead to a false sense of well being. Why do you have inflammation in the first place that it needs to be treated with medication? What is causing the inflammation and where can you make changes?

Chronic inflammation symptoms can include:

·       Fatigue

·       Mouth sores

·       Chest pain

·       Abdominal pain

·       Fever

·       Rash

·       Joint pain

Things that can also contribute to inflammation other than injury are; poor diet, stress, food allergies, anxiety and even a sedentary lifestyle. Remember that many food allergies are directly linked to fear, anxiety and stress that are manifesting in this way, causing a histamine reaction in your body.

Were you aware that poor food choices can contribute to inflammation in the body, leaving you with aches, pains and even depression? Please reflect on your food choices and see where you can make changes. With so much health information at your fingertips, there are no excuses to being oblivious  to the truth. It might be the thing that is making you feel like a rusted piece of metal!

With our family eating a predominantly plant based diet, you can feel the aches and pains creeping up on your body the next morning after we have eaten meat. Try a mostly plant based diet for a month, and then have a juicy piece of meat for dinner. Check your body when you get up in the morning, and how you slept. Big difference, even in your breath and sweat!

Foods that can contribute to inflammation:

·       Refined carbohydrates. Just a reminder that white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, sweet desserts and many breakfast cereals can all contribute to inflammation.

·       French fries and fried foods. (including heated oils)

·       Carbonated sugar sweetened beverages.

·       Red meat and processed meat.

·       Sugar.

·       Foods containing MSG.

·       Gluten.

·       Alcohol.

Your solution!

Anti-inflammatory foods! Certain foods contain vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. These elements all help speed up the healing process in your body. Anti-oxidants are found in fresh fruit and vegetables and can reduce swelling and pain.

By making lifestyle food choices, you will be feeding your body natural anti-inflammatories, long term. The following foods won’t just lessen aches and pains, but your body will start healing the problem that caused it in the first place. Your immune system will also be getting a boost, and it will be able to fight pathogens in a much stronger way etc.

·       Spinach, broccoli, kale

·       Dark green salad leaves

·       Raw mushrooms and peppers

·       Blueberries, cherries, strawberries

·       Almonds

·       Raw cabbage

·       Pineapple

·       Celery and beetroot

·       Salmon

·       Black pepper

·       Garlic

·       Tumeric, ginger, rosemary

·       Cold pressed, unheated olive oil

·       Apple cider vinegar

Drinking warm water with grated ginger and squeezed lemon juice on a regular basis. This decreases acidity in your body and helps to remove uric acid from joints, which can lead to pain. It also stimulates the liver and activated bile flow. This helps to emulsify and flush out fat soluble toxins.

Omega oils also help to lubricate joints, which reduces swollen and tender joints. Look out for cold pressed Flaxseed oil.

Dealing with stress, anxiety and fear in your life. Maybe it is time to do some introspection. See where you need to forgive and let go. Where can you make changes to a busy lifestyle? Are you really responsible for the well being of all those people in your life, or do you need to bring them before God in prayer and intercede for them? Are you using medication to numb the pain, or is it maybe time to face those fears and make them powerless in your life?( Please refer to my 3 part series on “The link between your emotions and disease.”)

See where you can increase anti-inflammatory foods on a daily basis, and slowly start lowering your chemical medication. Swallowing a pill might be an easy way out right now, but how will your body be responding in the long run? I know that these are some hard questions, but vitality is waiting for you on the other end.

I have written about green powders, barley green powders etc. over and over again. I have to accentuate it, because it is life changing. Have a look at “The Real Thing” Green Powder found online, at Dischem or Mopani pharmacy. Or BarleyLife powder or capsules.

I am a big supporter of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils and resins and take it on a daily basis. These help to balance your whole body and get everything functioning properly again, detoxing your body in the process. We order ours from “Ancient Biblical Oils”. Not to mention the wide variety of essential oils being available to us in health shops, pharmacies and online.

I don’t think there is anyone that wants to be in pain for longer than they should. Take some time this weekend and see how you can make positive changes long term. Get yourself an “accountability” partner if you have to, it will be worth it in the end!

Lizelle

Recipes:

Blueberry no- bake cheese cake

We don’t usually eat dairy, but this is a creamy, rich, cheese cake without being too sweet! This one needs to be made the day before.

Base:

Half cup rolled oats

Quarter cup ground oats (oat flour)

Half cup ground nuts (I prefer almonds)

1 and half Tbsp melted butter

1 and half Tbsp honey

1 and half Tbsp water

Filling:

2 Cups strained cottage cheese or cream cheese

1 Cup heavy cream (chilled)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Quarter cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1 Cup blueberries

1 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp chia seeds (or more for thicker consistency)

Touch of lemon juice

Quarter cup water

-Mix the crust ingredients together and press into an 8 inch, greased, spring form tin.

-Place wax wrap over it and press on the crust with the back of a glass to compact the crust.

-Place in the fridge while you make the filling.

-Mix the cheese in a mixing bowl until there are no lumps.

-Add the lemon juice, vanilla and honey, mix well.

-In a separate bowl, beat the cold cream until stiff peaks.

-Fold the cream into the cheese mixture.

-Scoop over the crust and place back into the fridge.

-Simmer blueberries, water, honey and lemon juice together for 5 min. Mash a little with a potato masher.

-Remove from heat and add the chia seeds. Let stand for half an hour. Stir. If the mixture is too runny, add another Tbsp at a time until the mixture is quite thick.

-Spoon the cooled mixture over the cream cheese filling. It has to be cooled down!

-Place back into the fridge, cover with foil.

-When serving the next day, remove from the fridge just before serving. Run a sharp knife along the edge before carefully removing it from the spring form tin.

*You can do the berry step first if you want to safe time so that it can cool down so long.

Enjoy!

Oats and banana flapjacks

These can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or any time in between for that matter! I usually double this recipe.

2 Ripe bananas

2 Eggs or 2 Flax “eggs”

1 Cup ground oats

2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon and vanilla to taste

Half cup buttermilk (I use a plant  based milk and add a dash of apple cider vinegar to it.)

-Mash the bananas, whisk the eggs and grind your oatmeal.

-Mix well and let stand for 10 min. This allows the oats to absorb the liquid and batter to thicken up.

-Fry in a little coconut oil until bubbles form. Carefully turn them over, cook for a little longer until golden, because it can be quite delicate.

-Serve with honey , peanut butter or butter.

-You won’t be able to bake them fast enough for the kids!

*These 2 recipes were taken from “How to cook smarter.”

To dye or not to dye

  To dye or not to dye

Some people wouldn’t be caught dead wearing their natural hair colour. But how far would you be willing to take it, even if it could be detrimental to your health?

 We all have beautiful hair colour when we are young, and many women dye their hair in an attempt to get their original colour back. But something happens as soon as babies and your 30’s come along!

 Hormones play a huge role in hair care. If you have fluctuating hormones, you’ll have fluctuating hair! Hair loss, straight hair going curly, light hair that went darker, thinning hair, loss of lustre and shine, even gray hairs. These have all left us with our hands in our hair, with many that have run to the hairdresser for some S.O.S colour and treatment.

 But today we will be shifting our attention to hair colour or dyes and bleaches. Ancient Romans and Egyptians often dyed their hair. The Egyptians first shaved it off, then dyed and braided it, and then they wore it as wigs. Some of these dyes were plant based using henna or berries. Dyes to blacken hair included leeches and vinegar solution! Gold dust was used to lighten hair, crushed nutshells for browning, saffron, indigo, alfalfa… All of these in an attempt to look more beautiful, and to boost confidence.

In the 1800’s, a gentleman called William Henry Perkin who was a chemist, attempted to generate a cure for malaria, but out came a synthesized dye. This colour was mauve. It must have been quite an experiment if you ask me.

Roman prostitutes were required by law to dye or bleach their hair blonde, to have themselves set apart. (No offence to all the natural blondes out there!)

According to studies done, permanent hair dye and straightening lotions may increase your risk of breast cancer. Even when hair dyes are used correctly, they can cause toxicity. Permanent dyes cause chemical changes that increase the penetration of the product into the hair. This can damage your hair. Your skin is also absorbing, with the chemicals penetrating into the blood stream.

Ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde etc. can cause serious skin irritation, redness, itching and burning when it comes in contact with the skin and even difficulty in breathing. These are all dangerous chemicals that can cause numerous health risks.

It might be worth trying out some natural alternatives. The colour doesn’t last very long, but it will definitely have less side effects.

Tea rinses:

Tea rinses have been done for centuries. By doing a final rinse with tea, you will lift your own hair colour, condition your scalp and hair.

Rooibos tea can bring out golden, reddish tones.

Chamomile can lighten hair and give subtle highlights.

Black tea will darken hair, with the caffeine stimulating hair growth on the scalp.

You can even use a spray bottle, and sprits on hair before drying.

Coffee rinse:

Coffee enhances darker hair shades and the caffeine used externally can stimulate hair growth.

There are quite a few other alternatives like sage, henna and lemon juice. Take some time out to find out what will work for you. I have even heard of people colouring their hair with beetroot or carrot juice!

You might feel judged, insecure and ugly at the beginning, especially if you have been colouring your hair for as long as you can remember. Embrace your locks, get them healthy and full of natural shine, and not full of chemical pigments.

Detox your body by fighting the chemicals from dye etc. Eat a diet rich in colours which are full of anti oxidants that help fight against free radical damage.

Are you brave enough to go bare and flaunt your natural hair colour and work with what you’ve got?

Lizelle

Recipe:

Sweet potato and pecan brownies

These are quite gooyee, but rich and decadent. They can look a bit raw, but everything is cooked well.

4 cooked sweet potatoes (mashed). I roast it whole and then remove the skins.

¼ cup cocoa powder

250g soaked, pitted dates (remove liquid and mash)

1 cup ground oats

¼ cup melted coconut oil

Tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Chopped pecans (inside batter and sprinkled on top)

-       Mash sweet potatoes and dates together, add cocoa powder

-       Add vanilla, salt and chopped pecans. Mix well.

-       Add ground oats and mix well.

-       Add melted coconut oil.

-       Spread on a baking sheet covered in wax wrap. (About 1,5cm thick)

-       Press pecans on top.

-       Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 min.

-       Remove from oven and cut into squares.

-       Place back in the oven, with spaces in between.

-       Bake for another 10 min.

-       Cool completely before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

Covid Candida

Covid Candida

Yes, you’ve heard me right! Many people, especially children, have developed candida overgrowth during lockdown. Being home, eating more, indulging in comfort foods and less exercise, have all lead to this. Children who would not usually be culprits of overgrowth, are now sitting with this unruly villain.

Candida is not for the faint hearted. Candida is the normal flora that lives in your gut. Candida overgrowth is when the normal digestive gut health gets corrupted by candida that takes over. Candida feeds on sugar and simple carbohydrates, which most of us have been indulging on during our prolonged stay at home. This is not your normal “holiday binge” but rather an extended, overstayed family in your midst.

 

Symptoms can vary from:

·     Brain fog

·     Lethargy

·     Irritation

·     White coating on the tongue

·     Bloating

·     Genital itching and irritation

·     Possible anal itching that have spread

·     Genital burning

 

Treatment:

One of the first things, is to make this “overstayed family” feel unwelcome. Stop giving them sugary and refined, processed food. You need to starve it first. You need to feed them healthy greens, lots of vegetables, especially raw, and wholegrains like brown rice and oats. Then you need to feed them lots of garlic and olive leaf extract, which is really bitter. Wake then in the morning with warm water with lemon juice and ginger. Guests will stay if they get creamy coffee with sugar and rusks!

Once they are out of the house, then you need to have a good cleaning. Water, lemon juice, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar. Get your “bottle brush” ready to scrub those intestines. That is where your brown rice and vegetables come in. The good fibre that you need to scrub out those nasties.

Then you need to soothe and re colonise the good flora by taking in probifloras. There are many on the market. You can try FloraFood by AIM. myaimstore.com/healthamplified

Remember that stress and antibiotics can also cause underlying digestive issues, which then leads to imbalances in your gut.

So enjoy your family and friends on occasion, and don’t let them overstay their welcome. You might end up regretting it!

Lizelle

Recipes:

Quick Asian rice noodles

 

 

Rice noodles

Green pepper

Red pepper

Red onion

Sliced brown mushrooms

Green herbs

Garlic

Roasted peanuts

Avo

Pink salt

Nutritional yeast (optional)

Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or soya sauce

-Soak noodles in salted boiling water, about 8 minutes.

-Fry onions and peppers in a little olive oil.

-Add mushrooms, herbs and salt.

-Serve noodles with the mixture, top with avo, roasted peanuts and lemon juice.

-Sprinkle with nutritional yeast.

*We buy raw peanuts and then dry roast them at 140 degrees Celsius until the skins start coming off. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn or turn rancid.

Cauli pesto guacamole

1 Cauliflower head broken into florets

3 Avo’s

2 Tbsp basil pesto

Apple cider vinegar to taste

Garlic

Pink salt to taste

Black pepper

-Place everything in a food processor until smooth (or chunky if preferred).

-Serve with carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions and seed crackers.

"The Flood"

Health Amplified

“The flood”

The flood, the plague, the red tide, that time of the month, having a period, or better known as menstruation. These are all secret code words between women which have bonded us together into womanhood.

For most girls and women, having a period is a one week a month episode with a few aches and pains. For others, it can come across as a debilitating disease, where life get’s influenced drastically. Continuous spotting, bleeding non-stop for a month, pain and extreme fatigue due to prolonged blood loss. Let’s have a look at nutrition etc and see how we can bring some kind of relief.

The first thing we need to look at is your omega oil intake. These oils feed your endocrine/hormonal system and helps keep it happy. Feed it the wrong oils and you will cause disruption. Omega oils are found in cold pressed flaxseed oil, cold pressed salmon oil, cold pressed olive oil, avo’s, nuts and seeds etc. No wonder we crave fatty food just before or during our periods. Our bodies need those healthy fats and oils to function optimally. We just need the correct source, and not heated, overly processed oils.

The second thing that we need to look at is our iron intake. Loss of blood means loss of iron. Symptoms can be pale skin and fatigue. Continuous bleeding can even lead to anaemia, if you don’t make up for it in your diet. Make sure that you stock up on beetroot and spinach. (See the beetroot recipe at the end). Have it mixed in with roasted vegetables, grated beetroot into salads, blended into smoothies or have fresh vegetable juices. I tend to avoid vegetable juices that are in a carton. The product has to be pasteurized and heated, so it is basically cooked vegetable juice. The taste is very contrasting if you had to compare the pasteurized product to fresh juice. A favourite of mine is pomegranate juice. It adds vitality and energy to your day! It is a bit pricy, but definitely worth it. Try the Woolworths brand or “Rush” glass bottled juice. “Rush” is sweeter where as Woolworths pomegranate juice has a tang to it.

You can supplement with iron tablets, but it may lead to constipation. I prefer sticking to a more natural wholefood form for better absorption.

Please remember that vitamin C helps with iron absorption, so make sure that you are eating lots of fruit and vegetables. We don’t get in enough fruit and vegetables. 

Barley grass contains valuable chlorophyll and is also anti inflammatory. Ginger and cinnamon are also wonderful ingredients to include on a daily basis. These also act as anti inflammatories, are pain relieving and cleanses your system. Add 2 cinnamon sticks and 2 rooibos tea bags to a flask. Pour over boiling water. Let it stand for 2 hours before taking half a mug every now and then. You can add some plant based milk if you want to. The cinnamon also aids circulation and warms you up. Cinnamon is a natural sweetener, so no need to add any.

Stay away from junk food as far as possible. It is high in sugar and heated oils. It can throw your endocrine system out of sync, leaving you feeling more miserable with worse PMS than what you should be having. Refined flours including white bread is devoid of nutrients, rather fill up on wholegrains like brown rice, oats, buckwheat, millet etc. These will fill you up and provide the good carbohydrates that your body needs for fuel.

Calcium lessens PMS symptoms and magnesium helps to relax your muscles. Remember that calcium is also found in fruit, vegetables and almonds, not just in dairy.

Not all of our cycles are regular, which can put a lot of stress and worry on ourselves. There is assistance available alongside a wholefood predominantly plant based diet.

I love essential oils and it has become a part of our household! A drop of geranium oil mixed into a little coconut- or olive oil and rubbed onto your lower abdomen and back can bring relief from pain, stabilizes moods by helping to balance your hormones. Frankincense oil and lavender oil are also anti inflammatory and pain relieving. We use geranium oil during the day, and frankincense and lavender during the evening because it relaxes you so much. Myrrh oil helps with the onset of menstruation if it is delayed.

And then lastly, moderate exercise. Exercise and stretching are stress relieving activities, it releases feel good hormones and helps to ease aches and pains.

I’m sure we all have some or other embarrassing period stories to tell! If all else fails, then there is nothing like a hot water bottle, cosy blanket and some dark chocolate!

Lizelle

Recipe:

Roasted beetroot and gnocchi

Our kids have loved this since they were toddlers, asking for “pink gnocchi”. The beetroot colours the gnocchi pink when mixed! This is a lovely winter dish and a way to incorporate beetroot that kids will enjoy. Gnocchi is a type of small, Italian potato dumpling.

-Cook beetroot, peel and cut into cubes.

(You can buy whole cooked beetroot if you are short on time.)

-Place in a roasting pan.

-Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

-Add some garlic and sprinkle with pink salt.

-Roast until slightly shriveled and soft.

-Cook gnocchi according to package instructions in salted boiling water.

(Or try to make your own from scratch.)

-Gnocchi is cooked when it floats on the surface of the water.

-Remove with a slotted spoon and incorporate the gnocchi into the roasted beetroot in the pan. Incorporate until it turns pink!

-Taste and add more salt and balsamic vinegar if needed.

-Don’t forget some freshly ground black pepper.

-The men in the family can also enjoy this one, even if it is pink…!!

 

Plant based nutrition (Part 3)

Plant based nutrition (Part 3)

By now you will hopefully feel a bit more motivated or encouraged about making subtle changes towards  predominantly plant based meals. With the extreme cold weather that has set in, and all of us settling a little deeper under the blankets, we must make sure that we are getting the correct fats and oils into our diets. We tend to crave more fatty and oily food when it is cold, but we need to steer away from deep fried, overly processed and highly refined oils.

Plant based fats and oils come from nuts, seeds, avo’s, corn on the cob and whole grains etc. Your body needs these fats and oils for optimal energy usage. As you know, our bodies are made up of many cells. Each cell has a proper structure and “engine” to run. One of the jobs that the correct fats and oils do, is to help keep the cell membranes healthy and supple. It needs to be supple, so that toxins on the inside of the cells can be removed, and nutrients from food need easy access into the cells. This helps the “engine” inside the cell to function optimally with the best cell metabolism possible.

As you have read in some of my previous blogs on emotional healing, that fear, anxiety and stress contribute to your body not functioning optimally. One of the things is that it can make your cell membranes or walls rigid and almost impermeable. By getting in enough plant oils, you will be assisting your body as you are dealing with the fear, anxiety and stress. Your body will then also be able to absorb the nutrients from food intake better, leading to more energy in the long run.

Let’s zone in on seeds and nuts for a moment. Try to eat them raw rather than roasted. I know it is really tempting to buy the roasted and salted varieties. But by heating the oils in the roasting process, they are altering the structure of the good oils and this can lead to damage in your body. Sprinkle on your own herb salts at home. Or blend raw, soaked cashews with a little water to get the beginning of a creamy sauce or mayo. Just add some lemon juice,salt and spices. Add to dips and soups before serving. Add nuts and seeds into smoothies. Have nut butters on apples or stir into your oatmeal.  Create your own nut butters in your food processor or throw together your own trail mixes. Make sure that your nut butters only contain nuts. No salt or sugar added, and no hydrogenated fats or so called stabilisers. There are so many nuts and seeds available these days and creative ways of where to include it.

The wonderful thing about nuts and seeds are that they contain an oil and a protein in the same little package. This duo combined, keeps you fuller and more satisfied for longer, especially where your body needs the nourishment even more in winter.

A few plant oil/plant protein combinations that you can build onto:

·     Beans and avo

·     Chickpeas and avo

·     Pumpkin seeds and coconut oil mixed into smoothies and seed bars.

·     Cold pressed flaxseed oil or ground flaxseed in oatmeal with berries.

·     Corn and brown rice

·     Little coconut oil or nut butter mixed into your oatmeal.

·     Brown rice, beans, avo

·     Lentil and vegetable stews with avo

·     Dried coconut flakes, almonds and raisins

·     Coconut cream and pumpkin seeds etc.

Also remember that a plant oil aids better absorption of lycopene in tomatoes and other carotenoids as mentioned in my previous blog.

Did you know that whole grains contain oil? Unfortunately, over processing and manufactures that want to extend the shelf life of products, leave the grains stripped of valuable oils. By leaving the good oils in the grain, it might give you a flour that can go rancid quickly. Our bodies need those oils and might leave you deficient in certain key elements for proper cell metabolism if absent. Opt for stone ground flours and whole grains where the entire grain is still in tack.

Many people don’t eat enough whole grains. You might be saying that you eat breakfast cereals everyday, and have bread with seeds in. Many of these products are overly processed, stripped of nutrients and oils and sugar laden. Others may think that they want to lose weight, so then radically reduce their carbohydrate intake. Our energy to perform daily tasks  and doing sport must come from our whole grains in the first place. Our bodies thrive on brown rice, oats, millet, buckwheat, yellow corn and quinoa. It is not the best choice to remove the whole grains and replace it with only meat and vegetables every single day.

Wholegrain plant oils are valuable plant oils that are called lipids and sterols, and include your omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

As mentioned in my previous blog on Carotenoids, many of these found in coloured fruit and vegetables are better absorbed when taken with a plant oil. 

In ending off, I would like give a short testimony about our dog. She is a Jack Russel and quite old. For a few years now her appetite has not been the best. I decided to include a quarter tsp of cold pressed organic coconut oil into her dog food each morning. After just 3 weeks, she finished her bowl of food in the morning and at night. She has more energy and plays with our puppy without turning up her nose! Her eyes are shinier, she looks healthier and is not so scrawny with less hair shedding. There is definitely a direct link between plant oils and energy levels.

Lizelle

Recipe

Stir fry rice pockets

Our kids love these and it has become quite a family affair! They can make it on their own now. It is a fun and interactive way to use up leftovers, coleslaw or veggie strips. The actual rice wrap doesn't have flavour, so its all about what's on the inside. It can be a bit sticky and chewy here and there, but its all about the food experience!

 

Rice Wraps

Red cabbage

White cabbage

Carrots

Peppers

Celery (optional)

Brown rice

Seasoning

Sesame seeds

Soy sauce/ balsamic vinegar

-Stir fry your veggies, add seasoning and cook your rice.

-Mix it all together and taste if you need more seasoning or herb salts.

-Remove one rice paper  and place in a wide mixing bowl in water to soften. (about 3-5 min)

-Remove from the water and place on a clean drying cloth for a few seconds to absorb some of the water. Pat dry with the remainder of the dish towel by folding it over the rice paper wrap. 

-Place the wrap on a clean plate. Add filling to the centre of the wrap. Fold the sticky paper over each other to seal.

-You can make small pockets or roll like a spring roll.  

-Start soaking the next wrap.

-Place the pockets onto a pretty plate sealed side down.

-Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you want to, it will stick to the wrap.

-Serve with sauces of your choice.

Plant based nutrition (part 2)

Plant based nutrition (part 2)

Many people say; “Eat the colours of the rainbow.” I don’t know about you, but colour makes me happy! It brightens my day and uplifts my soul. And so it is that our cells give applause when coloured pigments from fruit and vegetables enter our bodies.

Today we will be discussing carotenoids. These are soluble pigments of orange, red, yellow and green that give colour to our fruit and vegetables. They are beneficial anti-oxidants that help protect us from disease and help build our immune systems.

Anti-oxidants basically mop up free radicals or scavengers in our bodies. The free radicals come into our bodies through toxins and chemicals, stress, pollution etc. Free radicals break down our cells, causing damage to the cells, proteins and DNA, leading to aging and diseases.

The bottom line is that by being on a predominantly plant based diet, you will be consuming more fruit and vegetables. You will look and feel better in the long run by decreasing oxidative stress from free radicals in your body.

Tomatoes are a great way to get some colour. Remember that lycopene in tomatoes are better utelised by the body when heated. Tomato soup, roasted cherry tomatoes… A great way to get in some anti-oxidants. Lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes, is also absorbed better if it is eaten together with a plant oil. Olive oil drizzled over tomatoes after the cooking process, or having avocados with your tomato soup. Even a tiny drizzle of cold pressed olive oil or coconut oil into your tomato soup before serving. You can easily include these into a midweek meal; light, nourishing, satisfying and budget friendly. (See tomato recipes below)

Carotenoids have anti inflammatory properties. Free radicals contribute to inflammation. One of my favourite whole food products is a green powder or blend that contains green Barley Grass. Packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre, calcium and enzymes. Enzymes are the the necessary regulators of the body. Without them our cells cannot function.

All green leafy vegetables contain chlorophyll. These help to detoxify your body, support healthy blood and circulation. It is an all round tonic to the body, and helps to give energy during the day. We need to increase our leafy green intake by including it in salads, smoothies, stir fries, wraps etc. If you are struggling with spinach or kale, then try some fresh baby spinach leaves.

Breastfeeding mommies will benefit tremendously from a Barley grass supplement and leafy green vegetables. It has an amazing effect on the quality and production of milk supply.

Beetroot has an abundance of dietary nitrate. It helps to relax blood vessels, increases blood flow and promotes oxygen uptake by the muscles. It is filled with beta-carotene, which is high in vit. A. Beetroot is also excellent for menstruating ladies by boosting iron levels and oxygen in the blood.

Some fruit and vegetables rich in carotenoids are beets, broccoli, leafy greens, blueberries, carrots, sweet potato, tomatoes, pink grapefruit and apricots. So even if you have picky eaters, you will still be able to bring a variety of carotenoids into your diet through such a variety being available to most of us. Make sure that you are eating the ripe fruit and fruits that are in season.

There are times when it is not always possible to get all the fruit and vegetables that you need into your body. You can get assistance by using a whole food plant based supplement to help increase your anti-oxidant level. Some people don’t always have the time and energy to prepare the proper meal that your body needs, during illness or just need a boost.

Try the GardenTrio by AIM. myaimstore.com/healthamplified

Here are some easy ideas of where you can increase your fruit and vegetable intake:

·     Raw veggie sticks, hummus or bean dips

·     Wraps stuffed with an abundance of greens and colours of the rainbow.

·     Rice wraps which you have to soften in water before wrapping.

·     Stir fry and rice

·     Smoothies - add some green leaves and blueberries

·     Blueberries in oatmeal. (Check Food Lover’s Market in their frozen section for good priced berries)

·     Vegetable based soups and stews

·     Cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, blueberries, carrots and other fruit as snacks. (Add some nuts or seeds to get the good oils from the nuts to increase absorption of the carotenoids.)

Don’t focus too much on where you can reduce animal products right away which tend to increase inflammation in the body. Have a look at how you can increase your fruit and vegetable intake so that your day is filled with colour and joy as you reflect. Your focus will eventually change because there is life beyond just meat!

Lizelle

Recipes:

Roasted cherry tomato and avo pasta

Penne corn pasta or any gluten free pasta

2 Small packets cherry tomatoes

Avo’s

Black pepper

Pink salt

Small tomato paste holder

Cold pressed olive oil

-Cook pasta according to package instructions.

-Roast cherry tomatoes in the oven until shriveled. (Don’t add oil for roasting)

-Blend avo’s with a little water for a creamier consistency, adding salt and pepper to taste.

-When tomatoes are roasted, remove from the oven and place in a serving bowl. Add the tomato paste and a little olive oil.

-Serve pasta with the roasted tomatoes and creamy avo.

-Add black pepper and pink salt to taste.

*Note: Don’t add lemon juice to your avo, because the tomatoes already have a slight sour tang.

Tomato and red pepper soup

I usually roast whole tomatoes in the oven, and then blend them in the blender. This is a shortcut for when you are short on time.

1 Onion

Garlic (half tsp)

2 Red peppers

1 Bag chopped tomatoes

1 Small tomato paste holder

1 tsp miso paste

-Fry onion in a little oil until translucent.

-Add the garlic, fry for 1 minute.

-Add chopped tomatoes, simmer until soft.

-Add tomato puree, stir until well combined.

-Add the miso paste.

-Blend until creamy.

-Serve with slowly fermented sourdough bread and fresh avo.

Enjoy!