Eat bone broth now!

We know that protein is good for us, most of us who are trying to be healthy aim to eat protein with a slow release starch and vegetables. But what kind of protein do we choose? Lean animal protein, fish and pulses, maybe some dairy if you can tolerate it. This post focuses on meat so vegetarians click away.

When eating meat protein we eat mostly the muscle tissue, that is the leg, wing, breast or thigh muscle of the animal. Though high in many important nutrients including zinc maybe we are missing something. Humans bodily protein  make up is actually 25-35 % collagen and the amino-acid make up of collagen and muscle protein is completely different. For example in collagen the top amino-acid is glycine followed by proline and alanine and the rarer hydroyproline. In muscle meat Glutamine is most abundant followed by alanine, Valine and glycine.

Many of us have heard of collagen in terms of aging and the lack of this protein in the skin and its deleterious affects. However this is just the tip of the iceberg. So far, 28 types of collagen have been identified and described. The five most common types are:

• Collagen I: skin, tendon, vascular ligature, organs, bone (main component of the organic part of bone)

• Collagen II: cartilage (main component of cartilage)

• Collagen III: reticulate (main component of reticular), commonly found alongside type I.

• Collagen IV: forms basal lamina, the epithelium-secreted layer of the basement membrane.

• Collagen V: cell surfaces, hair and placenta

I am lucky, my local butchers makes bone broth, but before that I sourced grass fed bones that I would make broth from scratch from once a week. There are other way to buy hyrolysed collagen and add this tasteless powders to food and drinks. If you decide to do this Great lakes is a good brand. 

So what are the reasons for taking bone broth?

So why when collagen is so important do we still mainly consume the wrong ratio of amino-acids to make it? Our ancestors will have eaten fish skin, knawed on bone ends, eaten ligaments, we however do not. So this is where the bone broth comes in. Boiling up grass fed bones is a great way of extracting soluble collagen. This can then be consumed in soups added to sauces to boost up our collagen precursors. 

Reason 1: Bone broth makes you feel like you have oiled your joints.

Bone broth is is high in glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). You may have heard of them in glucosamine, the famous supplement for joint health. 

I personally find that my nagging knee pain vanished after a week of taking the bone broth daily. As these proteins are involved in ligaments and blood vessels these too will be boosted by eating bone broth. 

Reason 2: Bone Broth Heals Your Gut!

The intestinal lining is supposed to be permeable in order for nutrients to pass through. However, this lining can become too permeable due to lifestyle factors such as poor diet, stress, long-term contraceptive use, as well as bacterial and fungal overgrowths. This puts a strain on the liver, the endocrine system and increases likelihood of autoimmune flareups due to an overly active immune system.

What does bone broth have to do with any of this? Well, the gelatin in bone broth helps heal the holes in the gut lining, so a great adjunct for treating leaky gut.

Reason 3: Bone gives you great hair skin and nails.

We all know collagen helps the skin look young and plumped up but it is also great for nails and hair. After a lifetime of nails that split I found that after regularly eating bone broth was using a heavy duty nail clipper to cut the nails on my hands! 

So how to make this super-food

This broth is not only good for collagen levels so will help with connective tissue formation but it also is high in trace minerals including potassium, manganese, copper, iodine,chromium, vitamin K.

These bones I bought and froze till I was ready to use

Ingredients: 

• 3- 6 lb of bones. Grass fed beef is great
• Stock vegetables- 2 sticks of celery, 2 carrots, 1 onion. (organic)
• Nutrient rich vegetables. Turnip greens, beet greens, swiss chard, collard greens, parsley. (organic) One large handful per pound of bones.- or to taste.
• dried sea week. 1 tablespoon for pound of bones.

I added some rosemary to this batch

Methods: 

1. Roast the bones for 10-15 mins or until browned in a 400 f oven.
2. Then cover with water and add sea salt.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 hours. If you have a pressure cooker you can speed this process up considerably. Make sure the bones remained submerged, you will need to top the water up. The bones are ready when the collagen is breaking down and actually bones are soft. This stage can be longer than 4 hours, for example if you have a crock pot you can leave overnight.
4. Once the bones are ready. Remove from broth. 
5. Chill the broth in the fridge until the fat has come to the surface and hardened.
6. Remove fat and discard. If a small amount remains that is fine as it will help with the extraction of the fat soluble vitamins from the greens (ie vitamin K)
7. Add the vegetables and seaweed. Boil until well cooked. Strain the vegetables out and reserve.
8. If you wish to freeze and use as stock/ broth this can be done now, in ice cube trays or portion sized tubs.
9. If you want to make into a soup add the vegetables back in and blend, or leave chunky. If you are planning to eat this soup as a complete meal add barley or root vegetables (see below).

Alternatives:

Add barley for a complete meal. Barley is great for the kidney meridian

Add root vegetables if aiming to make a soup, this will provide further vitamins and starch.

Add miso to the broth and drink out of a mug

Use broth as a stock for many recipes.

Healthy meals in 30 minutes

We are all busy me included. Many people often ask me, including my clients, how I cook every night. I rarely spend more than 30 minuted preparing a meal,  I am going to start to post my 30 minute meals which may inspire you to try cooking more!

Roasted cauliflower and new potatoes with wild salmon. 

 Variations: 

You can switch the cauliflower for broccoli or broccoli Rabe
Switch the salmon for quick cooking grass fed meat, thin steak or chicken breast that has been smashed thin.

Benefits

• Low GI
• High in nutrients
• Alkaline forming
• Candida free
• Grain free
• Dairy free

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cauliflower chopped into florets
• 1 cup of chopped new potatoes leave the skin on
• 2 tablespoons of olive
• 1 stick of rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of slithered almonds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Sea salt
• 2 steaks of wild salmon
• Salad of your choice 
• 1/2 Lemon

Methods

• Preheat oven to 400 f
• Cut up the potatoes and the cauliflower into bite size bits put in a bowl
• Add oil garlic, almonds and rosemary and salt to taste and toss together.
• Line baking tray with foil
• spread the cauliflower potato mixture on the tray and put in the over
• Set the timer for 15 minutes and make a cup of tea!
• After 15 min give the vegies a little shake to make sure they get evenly brown sometimes I skip this if I am busy in which case set the timer for 30 minutes.
• 15 minutes before you want to eat get a skillet / frying pan out and put on a medium heat. Prepare a quick salad.  I like tomatoes, cucumber and baby spinach (as my kid like this and it is nutritious!) If you want to save time use a pre-washed salad mix. Dress with olive oil and lemon.
• By now you should have 10 minutes before timer goes off. In the hot pan add a little olive oil and place salmon skin side down. Let it cook for 5 minutes until skin is crispy. Season with salt and pepper now if you wish. Flip and cook on other side for 5 minutes (NOTE: all salmon is not the same thickness so this may vary a little also depending on how you like it cooked.) Switch off heat and leave salmon in pan while you serve.
• The timer on the vegies will have now gone off. Serve them and the salad so that 1/2 your plate is salad and 1/4 is roasted vegetables. Then serve the salmon and squeeze a bit of lemon over it.

Natural treatments of headaches

Style.com are running the answers to a series of health questions they asked me. I am sure they will be greatly edited down! Here is a sneak peek of the full answer to the first question.

I have been suffering with headaches recently. Can any teas of herbs help?

Headaches can have many different causes and these are treated in a myriad of ways. I will run through the common types and how to alleviate each  type.

Stress/ tension  headache:

Symptoms: A dull aching headache or sensation of tightness across the forehead and/or on the sides or nape of the neck associated with scalp, neck,or shoulder muscle tenderness. Advice: As the name suggests these headaches are worse during periods of stress and can go on for days at an end. Luckily they can be treated naturally. I recommend taking a nervine herb like American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). This is a  relaxant herb and has been shown in trials to have an anxiolytic effect, this is possibly why it is useful at relieving tension headaches.  Acupuncture is also effective at for treating these kinds of headaches. Dietary nutritional supplements also can help. I suggest taking 300mg of magnesium, a  25 mg b-complex and 500 mg vitamins C. This help with stress levels and also the magnesium can help to relax the muscles that are involved in tension headaches.

Migraine

Symptoms: Migraine Is a neurovascular disorder which gives periodic headaches often with prodromal symptoms called an aura, these can range from nausea to visual disturbances. The mechanism starts in the brain and then spreads to the blood vessels where high levels of serotonin causes contraction then dilation of vessels which give rise to painful headaches.

Advice: Prevention is best here. Taking the anti-inflammatory herb feverfew leaf (Tanacetum parthenium) daily reduces the number of migraine attacks possibly by affecting the hyperreactivity of the blood vessel wall, thus preventing the cramping and subsequent dilation. I have used this herb successfully with many clients of mine,  it has also been widely studied and shown to be successful in the treatment of migraines.The dose is the equivalent to two leaves a day, so even keeping a plant and nibbling on a leaf is a good bet! Make sure to get a good quality brand if taking a pill or tincture.  As well as feverfew there has been good evidence to suggest butterbur (Petrasites) is an effective treatment for migraine sufferers. Discovery of the high incidence a mutation in a gene  causing a resulting  elevation of homocysteine levels in patients with migraine with aura led to a trial of b12, folate, and b6 in these patients. This trial showed that taking these three supplements resulted in a reduction of homocysteine levels and improvement of migraine symptoms. So taking a b-complex can help reduce migraines. If your migraines are worse around your period also follow the advice below for hormonal headaches. Lastly lavender oil has been shown to be effective in trials for reducing the severity of migraine headaches. Use throughout the day on the pressure points and in the bath at night.

Hormonal headaches

The type you get before your period.

Advice: Taking magnesium and b6 every day can have a preventive effect on these kind of headaches. It also helps with PMS and period pains which is an added bonus! The addition of the hormone balancing herb agnus castus can also be very helpful having been shown in clinical trials to significantly reduce all PMS symptoms including headache. You take this herb in the morning, daily without skipping a dose and for a minimum of two months. Keeping blood sugar up before your period is also helpful at preventing headaches, so eating protein with slow release carbohydrates and not skipping meals is a good bet. If you are also dizzy, pale and tired the headaches may be related to anemia rather than hormonal imbalances. These headaches tend to be on the top of the head. Taking a blood tonic throughout the month like floradix tablets or liquid can help these kind of headache.

Sinus headaches

Its nearly that time of year for allergy season! Sinus headaches are horrible.

Advice: I suggest treating the underlying inflammation by taking a combination of quercetin and bromelain. These anti inflammatory plant chemicals have been shown in trials to reduce histamine and inflammation in the sinuses as well as symptoms of chronic sinusitis. In my experience taking these daily is more effective that taking claritin or some other over the counter medication. Bromelain is in raw pineapple and quercetin is high in nettle. I have been known to grab raw pineapple when I have forgotten to taken my herbs  and within 15 minutes the sinus pain has gone. Its important to take bromelain or fresh pineapple away from food as it is an enzyme it will basically digest food you eat with it rendering it ineffective. As well as the quercetin and bromelain I love the nasal spray sinol M. It contains capsicum, thats right chilli. After the initial burn it clears sinus headaches very nicely. I always pre-order a couple of bottles to be ready for the allergy season.

Easy winter detox

We often find ourselves in January after the indulgences of the holiday season unbuttoning our jeans and pledging to detox. As a medical herbalist and nutritional adviser I know all the tricks for good health, but as a working mom I know it isn’t always possible to follow them! In herbal medicine we do not recommend drastic detoxes in winter, these are best left for spring as they are too cooling and depleting for the winter months. So leave off the raw-food diets and juice cleanses and here are some simple Januray detox tips.

Try these simple changes for a month and you will feel more energy, have better skin and loose weight!

Avoid:

All simple sugars that is added sugar but also fruit juices. People often make the mistake of thinking that fruit juices for detoxing but the body sees the sugar from these drinks in the same way as that in soda, increasing insulin and fat storage! If you love to juice instead go for vegetable based juices. I personally think in the winter it should be soups rather than juices you should be reaching for.

Consider avoiding wheat and cow dairy especially if you suffer with bloating, sinus issues, eczema or tiredness.

Avoid booze! If you can’t quite do this try to cut way back and if you suffer with bloating stick to spirits with a sugar free mixer.

Avoid “bad” meats. Bacon, preserved meats like ham, beef that is not grass fed.

Refined grains For example switch from white to brown rice, you can buy it frozen now in wholefoods and other health stores. No excuses now!

Omega 6 vegetable oils. These are pro-inflammatory and suppress the formation of the more active thyroid hormones. Olive oil and coconut oil are fine but avoid other vegetable oils. Also consider cutting out nuts and seeds. YES you read correctly! They are very high in omega 6 oils and pro-inflammatory!

Add in

Whole fruit and vegetables Aim for the magic 9 portions a day and see the difference! Warming soups and fresh fruit snacks are an easy way to boost your levels up.

Fish This anti-inflammatory food is great on a detox. Aim for three servings a week of low mercury fish.

Nettle and burdock herbal teas An easy way to detox if you grab the more medicinal ones! My best selling tea is a detox one I formulated to target all organs of elimination. You can also pick up burdock and nettle tea as single herb teas in good health food stores including wholefoods. Just pop two tea bags (one nettle, one burdock) in a mug of boiling water for a double strength detox! Have three cups of this super cleanse tea a day.

Eat more roots less grains Try switching one grain a day to a root vegetable. e.g. rice for a sweet potato. This has an alkalinizing effect on the body.

Take a probiotic, prebiotic or Keffir. The good bacteria in your gut not only boost your immune system but have been shown to improve energy and mood! I love goats milk Keffir for a cow dairy free option.

Take liver support If you have battered your liver with fatty foods and alcohol consider taking NAC 500mg three times a day or a good quality milk thistle 250 mg three times a day. Both these supplements boost the livers glutathione levels that aid detoxification. You will notice it in your energy, skin, and it will do wonders for PMS.

A lemon a day..... A great way to provide your body with vitamin C and helps to stimulate the gallbladder and liver function. Add to salads and enjoy in hot water in the morning.

Coconut oil for metabolism If you like the taste you will enjoy eating the virgin stuff off the spoon! Aim to have 1 teaspoon a day. You can also use a healthy spread and use refined coconut oil for cooking with. It boosts the thyroid function (your

metabolism) as well as being a source of caprylic acid that suppresses yeast in the digestive system. Once particularly cold winter I raised my basal body temperature by 2 degrees (thus boosting my metabolism) by taking three teaspoons of coconut oil a day.

Also you can pamper yourself!

Detox is not all about denial.

Massage is great to get sluggish lymphatic system moving.

A weekly sauna will aid elimination through the skin, did you know sweat glands act the same way as mini-kidney nephrons!

Acupuncture is not only deeply relaxing but can clear liver stagnation.

Body brushing and self massage towards the heart will aid lymphatic drainage. Before you get in the shower spend five minutes brushing with a dry body brush towards your heart or my favorite use a salt scrub to massage towards your heart. If you are feeling brave once in the shower you can alternate between hot and cold water for some at home hydrotherapy!

Hay fever Season!

I have returned to the world of blogging!

Well, Spring is here at last, unfortunately along with the sunshine comes the pollen season. The good news is there is no need to suffer as there are plenty of alternatives to keep the misery at bay.

When I first moved to New York it was in one of those crazy Springs where it is 75 F on St Patrick's day and your brain struggles to make sense out of the combination of summer dresses and snowdrops. It was into this balmy weather and a haze of pollen that we landed at JFK. Hay fever from hell crashed in to my mucus membranes, and I had no herbal medicine and had no idea where to buy any. I managed to get my hands on some zyrtec and ordered my herbs from England. It was in fact a great test into comparison to conventional drugs and herbs in the treatment of my hay fever. For a week I sniffled, itched and dripped while I dosed up with zyrtec. Then at last my herbs arrived, with in two days my symptoms were 100% better, I was human again and could enjoy the Spring. 

Every year since, it makes me realize how lucky I am to have access to natural alternatives for hay fever treatment. So you may be asking what can you take for your hay fever? Here is my advice.

Herbal medicine

Nettle

I would normally prescribe several herbs together for allergy rather than just one as the herbs work better in synergy  A typical formula may be: Nettle, baical Skulcap and berberis vularis. There is an over the counter formula I sell in my clinic call "Anti-inflammatory" that contains these herbs.

Butterbur

Nettle I drink cups and cups of this tea in the hay fever season. It is naturally high in quercetrin (see below) and is a natural anti-histamine. It also has the added      benefit  of being  rich in iron, calcium, potassium, and Vitamins A and C.  

Baical Skullcap

Baical skullcap this wonderful Chinese herb has been used for thousands of years for its anti-inflammatory affects which has now been widely researched. It works very well for allergies especially in combination with other herbs.

Butterbur has been studied to be as effective as conventional allergy medicine. It works by reducing the nasal inflammation and spasms in the respiratory system as well as being a general anti-inflammatory.

Albizzia is an other great Chinese herb for calming allergic responses and is used regularly very successfully in hay fever treatment.

Mucus membrane tonics are a great addition to an allergy formulation as they calm down the inflamed  membranes.  Herbs that fall into this category include golden seal, plantain, eyebright and the berberis species.

Ephedra if you live in Europe you can have your herbalist prescribe this potent decongestant and anti-allergic herb for you.

Supplements

Quercetrin this naturally occurring flavanoid that is found in high levels in red onions is a great natural anti-histamine. It has been shown in numerous studies to stabilize mast cell and prevent histamine release. I suggest 500mg-1000mg three times a day. I find that some seasons one dose a day is enough, other times sufferers need the full three. 

Bromelain naturally occurs in pineapples, they must be fresh and eaten away from protein to get the full effects. Some studies have found that bromelain is helpful in reducing nasal swelling and thinning mucus, making it easier for people to breathe. It is often found combined with quercetrin, 140 mg three times day is a good dose. 



Lifestyle


Wash your hair when you come in. This simple tip removes the pollen that has attached to your hair in the day and stops you getting it on your pillow.

Close the windows when pollen is rising and falling. Typically in the morning as the temperature rises and in the early evening as the temperature drops.

Cover your bed with a bed spread. This will stop any pollen falling on the pillow.

Vaseline inside your nose or a natural waxy cream. This will trap pollen.

Wear sunglasses to stop pollen flying into your eyes.

Wash out nasal passages and eyes regularly. Use a neti pot when you come home to clear nasal passages. Also use  eye drops or an eye-bath regularly. Ideally if you can get eyedrops with eyebright added or ask your herbalist and they can give you drops you can add to boiled water to calm irritated eyes.

Avoid foods that cross react with the pollen type you are allergic to. Certain foods contain proteins that are very similar to the protein in the pollen so when you eat this food in the hay fever season it will make the symptoms worse. For example birch pollen family (which included the infamous plane trees) cross react with apples, peach, cherry (stoned fruits), kiwi, passion fruit, carrot, tomato, some nuts particularly almond. See this link for over allergy group and there cross reaction foods.http://www.polleninfo.org/index.php?language=en&nav=_n2&module=article&action=first_page&row=2&id_parent=1385

New posting! Mobile phones: the hidden danger in a wireless age

Well I know it has been a long time since I updated this blog..... I turned out to be too busy with my clinic, toddler and lecturing to keep it up. Since my last post a lot has changed. I now am based in New York which so far has proved every bit as exciting as you would expect. I am always on the hunt for herbs in the city and hope to post some pictures of herbs I have spotted on the mean streets of Manhattan.

My first post however is not about herbs but about the dangers of mobile phone radiation.

A very well researched book was published by Dr Devra Davis this month highlighting these dangers of mobile phone radiation.

(http://www.environmentalhealthtrust.org/content/about-dr-davis ) She is a Ph. D professor and scientist who recently testified before a U.S. senate committee panel about the dangers of phone use. Her books makes chilling reading.

For those of you who don't have the time to rush out and buy the book here is a brief synopsis:

• Cell phone emit microwave radiation to the brain to a depth between 4-6 cm of those using them. Smart phones ( 3G and 4G) use the same wavelength as microwave ovens albeit at a lower power.
• 3G and 4G phones constantly send pulsed signals back and forwards to their base tower meaning that even if you are not using the phone and have it in your pocket you will be exposed to regular bursts of radiation.
• Children are much more susceptible to radiation due to the the higher water content of the child's brain and the thinner scull.

SHORT TERM AFFECTS TO EXPOSURE OF CELL PHONE RADIATION

• Animal studies have shown exposure of rats brains to mobile phone type radiation can lead to epilepsy. Exposure akin to the regular use of Wireless devices affect the ability of rats to learn and remember what they learnt. Rats exposed to two hours of cell phone radiation a day show leakage of fluid from the brain to the blood meaning the blood brain barrier is breached. The affects of this breach seen in the rats was impaired memory
• Human studies. For the past 5 yrs scientists have been following two groups of children aged 5-12- one which uses mobile phones and one that does not. The Russian researchers found changes in the working of the brains of cell phone users. Increased fatigue, decreased attention, and a decreased capacity to work. Cell phone radiation causes the blood brain barrier to relax allowing any toxin circulating in our blood (alcohol, drugs, toxic chemicals) to enter the brain. It has be suggested that this is how the damage to DNA occurs.
• The highest levels of radiation occurs in the ear, acoustic nerve, the eye, and the salivary and parotid gland. In Israel which has the heaviest cell phone usage in the world the rate of cancers in all of these areas has tripled in people under 20 years old.
• Cell culture studies. Show that cell cultures exposed to cell phone radiation show DNA damage that cause severe genetic defects leading down the path to cancer. With ten times more damage seen with the new 3G phones opposed to the old 2G ones.
• Cell phone radiation caused damage to fibroblasts (cells involved with healing and repair).

LONG TERM AFFECTS TO EXPOSURE OF CELL PHONE RADIATION

• Those who use their cell phones the most and for the longest have more malignant brain tumour than others.
• Long term studies of ten years all show an increased risk in brain tumours in heavy cell phone users. (please note that heavy users were defined as using their phones for one hour a day of the old 2G network)

So why aren't the mobile phone companies warning us? Well they are but in tiny print. These are the REAL warnings added in tiny 6 point type by the mobile phone companies- here they are in larger type:

• DO NOT HOLD DIRECTLY ON THE BODY (Nokia)
• HOLD 0.98 INCHES FROM BODY (Blackberry)
• HOLD PHONE 5/8TH OF AN INCH FROM BODY (iPhone)
• HOLD PHONE 1 INCH FROM BODY (motorola)
• NO PART OF THE BODY TO BECOME TOO CLOSE DURING USAGE (Droid)

What can you do to limit exposure?

• In a series of peer reviewed papers it has been suggested for every mm of distance the phone is held from the head, the exposure to the brain is reduced by 10%. - Speak using a hands free devise or on loud speaker will reduce exposure. If you are using a wifi head piece switch it off when you are not using it.
• Turn your phone off if you are carrying in your pocket to limit exposure though the phones roaming while not in use.
• Ideally text rather tan make phone calls.
• Sleep away from any wifi devise.
• Do not use a wifi enabled computer/ ipad on a desk rather than in contact with the body. I tend to turn off the wifi airport if I don't need to be using the Internet.
• Pregnant women should keep their mobile phone away from their abdomen. Nursing mothers should likewise avoid theirs child's head to be exposed while talking or texting.
• Use a land line, and not a cordless phone that also emit radiation.
• Consider checking the radiation (SAR) levels before buying a new phone.

Well I think that is enough to be going on for today! Looking forward to my next post.....

Bibiolography:

Disconnect: The truth about cell phone radiation, what the industry has done to hide it, and how to protect your family. Devra Davis. Dutton. New York, 2010.

Recipes for Gorgeous gallets, sugar free muffins, and seaweed recipes.

An other glorious Autumn day is upon us,

Recipes for Gorgeous gallets, sugar free muffins, and seaweed recipes.

No gathering herbs today as on a train into London. Still do get a little of my herbal fix getting glimpses of glistening silverweed by the side of the track and the trees heavy with russet hawthorne berries. I picked about 1kg of those same berries last week with a hope of making hawthorne berry leather. Not some credit crunch related economy exercise to patch up the hole in my boots. Rather it is the desiccated pulp of this supper berry (goji move aside. What I should have produced should have ended up something like those pure fruit bars you can buy. Unfortunately the instructions I was following of using a low oven were erroneous and when I eagerly opened the oven I was faced with chared edged glup. Please let me know if any of you do have a desicator as I will forward the recipe. I did use the rest of the hawthorne puree, that was supposed to be my second batch of leather. I added it to apple sauce and eat for breakfast mixed with oats so at least got some benefit! (btw the picture is actually of the berries I picked, note a few rosehips in the mix!)


For those who are interested:

Hawthorne berry puree

• Pick ripe hawthorne berries (see picture), wash and place in


• Cover with water and boil for 15-20 mins until soft.


• Pass through metal sieve.

The last stage sounds easy but is not! Hawthorne’s have a lot of fibre and seeds and it makes the sieving process a labour of love. This puree is not sweet so add to apple sauce and use as desert. Also freezes well.

Hawthorne berries are rich in antioxidants and are used in herbal medicine as the main heart herb in its armoury. The flavonoids it contains increase energy supply to cardiac muscle cells, relax the blood vessels supplying the heart so increase blood flow, reduce heart rate while increasing contraction. This makes the heart more efficient. And it can lower blood pressure. All in all this makes it an excellent heart tonic, and is safe to take every day. If you are on hear medication already or suffer with low blood pressure do check with me first.

Gorgeous Galettes

For anyone who has been on holiday to Brittany you will already love these. These buckwheat based pancakes make a great supper and are rich in rutin that guards against varicose veins. No a grainand related to dock, buckwheat is gluten free and a great alternative to wheat . This recipe the meal is low GI and yeast free.

Galette

• 225g oz Buckwheat flour


• 1.5 ozMelted butter/ olive oil


• 1 pint Water


• 2 egg
  

Filling

• Spinach


• Sheep’s cheese (ouseray) Can have with no cheese


• Eggs

How I made it:

• Combine all the ingredients for the gallet in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Leave for 1-2 hours.


• Cook spinach and drain off any excess liquid.


• Heat frying pan and brush with oil. Pour 1 ladle full of batter and swirl pan around until coated. When little bubbles appear and top is set flip pancake


• Straight away crack egg into centre of galet while it is still in pan. Add thin layer of cheese (if using) and sprinkle with cooked spinach.


• Carefully fold up pancake. I do this in package style so I and up with a four sided squarish shape. Don’t worry it they crack a bit, this is normal. Give it a little pat if not quiet brown cook for until it is.


• Transfer to oven proof dish and cover with foil. Put in warm oven and start process again.
  You can make these with ham, but cured meat, like ham, but it is full of sulphites (even organic) and carcinogenic so only have occasionally. I serve this with a green bitter leaved salad.

S.A.D.

As the days start to draw in you may have noticed your resolve to avoid sugary teats wanes with the warm weather. This is due to the effect of plummeting serotonin levels brought on by milky autumn sun telling our body we really should just stay in bed more, stop shaving your legs and eat cake. There are herbs like St. Johns wort and Rhodiola that boost the happy hormone levels and for those suffering badly this is an option. I must admit I am not sure how I would survive January without my daily shot. Also sunlamps and exercise have been shown to ward of the winter woes. But for those of you who do have a sweet tooth but don’t want the sugar here is a sugar free muffin. (It does take honey though!)I make these for my son and have been asked for the recipe buy practically all the mums I know. So this is for them too.

Honey and Yoghurt Muffins

These are not a health food! So only once in a while.

• 225 g spelt flour


• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 1tsp. bicarb.


• pinch of salt


• 1/2 tsp. mixed spice


• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg


• 50g of medium oatmeal


• 50 g of light muscavado sugar (can use maple sugar or fructose here)


• 225g of sheep yoghurt (can use soya or greek here)


• 125ml soya milk


• 1 egg


• 50g butter melted (can use dairy free margarine)


• 60 ml runny honey

How I made them

• Pre-heat oven to Mark 6/ 200 Celsius


• Line 12 hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. (I use a silicone one so no papers!)


• Sift flour, the bicarb. and baking powder, salt, and spice into bowl. Stir in oat meal.


• Mix yoghurt with the milk and beat in the egg. Pour into dry ingredients quickly, do not over mix.


• Divide mixture evenly, you can sprinkle with a little oatmeal if you wish. Bake at Mark 6 or equivalent for 17-20 mins. They should be well risen and firm to touch.


• Leave in tins for 5mins before turning onto cooling rack.

Can omit honey and use 1 small ripe banana.

Enjoy

I must write a book 101 ways with seaweed! This is such a healthy addition to any diet rich in macronutientsinclude sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus; the micronutrients they contain include iodine, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluoride, manganese, boron, nickel and cobalt.

Seaweed salad:

• Buy dried sea weed soak in water for ten minutes then drain. Dress with sesame oil and soya sauce.

Another seaweed salad:

• Same as above but add 1tsp. Tahini, ½ tsp. Of honey or fructose and 1tsp. Of lemon juice to every desert spoon of soya sauce and sesame oil dressing.


• Slice thinly cucumber (same amount as seaweed) and mix with seaweed and dressing.

Sea weed sprinkle:

Buy sushi nori in supermarkets. Toast under grill and crumble over food. You can add toasted sesame seeds to this.

Sea weed stock:

Add one piece of wakame seaweed to any meal that benefits from stock. Will still need additional flavouring so either make own stock base or add to marigold organic stock powder and boiling water. Boil for 10-15 mins.