Three cheers for Chlorella

A small patch of dry skin appeared under one of my eyes, then the other.  I assumed it was due to my eyeliner, so sourced a natural, Ayurvedic kajal from India.  While my eyes were no longer irritated, the redness was still spreading under both eyes.  I found I was wearing my glasses more and my eyes ached.   

I tried hydrogen peroxide on my skin and while this seemed to soothe, it didn’t clear up the redness that was still busy spreading.  Other skin conditions appeared and it finally resonated I could be deficient in Vitamin A, so I decided to ingest more alpha and beta carotene in any way I could.   I’m starting to believe that soil mineral depletion due to mainstream, intensive farming techniques means food no longer contains all the nutrients we need to maintain good health, so I have resorted to including wholefood supplements and superfoods in my daily diet.  We are also in the process of planning to grow our own food in the back garden; an exciting and daunting prospect offering so many possibilities.

I wanted to try something new to treat my eyes, as all my usual tricks weren’t 100% successful, so I gobbled some chlorella, bought from the lovely people at our local Health Shop.  

Chlorella claims to be a great source of vitamin A, lots of Bs, C and E, zinc and iron, as well as rich in chlorophyll to support the immune system and help with cell metabolism and detoxification and also a big, fat source of bio-available protein.  With an alkalising effect, it counters the acidity produced by a processed diet, so really it is essential for everybody.

Within 24 hours of taking chlorella the growth of the dry, inflamed patch had stabilised.  By 48 hours the redness was visibly reducing and by 60 hours there were just a few tiny spots of dry skin left and no redness at all.  For once I wasn’t actually expecting immediate results, so was temporarily gobsmacked.  (Anyone who knows me well is aware that a permanent state of gobsmackedness is not only improbable, but impossible).  With short term ingestion showing such impressive results and super pooping, this great, tiny green tablet will definitely have a long term place in our tummies.

So much research has been done on this amazing freshwater plant, which is the most popular supplement in Japan, that I strongly recommend you give it a go. 

http://www.chlorellafactor.com/chlorella-spirulina-02.html

http://www.consumerwellness.org/

http://www.health-science-spirit.com/deficiency.html

Exercising....in a good way

Exercise! A scary word for most of us. Why? Because it means we have to do something.  Put effort into something and invest our time and our energy. And this is exactly why most people are put off straight away...we are looking at the negatives rather than the end results. And this goes for any exercise, whether mental or physical.

Let's talk a little bit more about physical exercise:

We all have to start somewhere. And it doesn't matter what kind of shape your body is in.  If you think you are too big, just go for a five minute walk. Make it ten minutes tomorrow. And fifteen minutes the day after. If you think you don't have enough time, then make the time and remember to congratulate yourself for every achievement, no matter how big or small.  Should you feel uncomfortable exercising alone, ask a friend to come with you. Having someone with you has the benefit of time passing faster and you won't even feel that you did something that you might have "dreaded" before.

For individuals who are more experienced with exercise, it is not always a good idea to have someone with you whilst exercising. Simply because the other person will most likely not be at your level of fitness and either drag you down by being less fit, or even demotivate you due to being better, although it might drive you to higher goals, though. It is up to the individual.

I exercise as good as every day. It has become a part of my daily life to cycle to work. In fact, I haven't made any excuses not to cycle, regardless of the weather. You can always get changed after a bike ride. Just take a set of clothes with you. So, I cycle at least five times a week, and every day I vary movements and gears on certain parts of my route to train different muscles and to get better and faster. On top of that, twice a week I am doing some muscle building exercise at home like "push-ups" and "cycling twists". Look up certain techniques online. You have to start somewhere.  Variety is the key to better results. If you stick to a certain routine, however, your body will get used to it and it won't be challenging anymore.  That's when you reach a plateau and are more likely to give up.

In most cases you won't even need any equipment or gym. You don't even need to leave your house, so there are no excuses! Your body provides more than enough resistance with its weight to be gentle on your joints and with focus and determination, still be efficient to present results.

And then I have the days where I won't do a thing. Simply giving my muscles a really good rest. Listen to your body. Don't overdo it. Push limits, but don't break barriers. Your body will tell you when it's had enough. Then you should stop, have a rest, re-energize and nourish your muscles again.

Please don't go for the pint of lager after you just sweated all the toxins out of your body. And don't believe that a chocolate bar, eaten until half an hour after your exercise goes straight into your muscles and makes them grow. 

Drink water, have some juicy fruit, go easy on the refined carbohydrates and eat protein rich foods like eggs or fish. If you are dieting at the same time you might even go for Miso soup, for example. The brown version is more savoury and the cheaper solution.  Whisk in a raw egg and hey presto!

The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing. Make it a routine, not necessarily daily. But regular enough to become part of your lifestyle.

And now have fun getting fitter and healthier.

Aqua Vita

Humans are the only animals who refer to someone else when they are ill; an interesting notion.  Rather than rely on our innate self healing mechanisms, it appears we’ve been conditioned to place more value on what other people think about ourselves.  Some people admit they don’t want to invest time and energy in themselves, but would rather pay someone to give them a quick fix for whatever troubles them.

We have so many conversations with people who claim they want to feel better, but fail to do anything about it.  It’s as if they enjoy the attention their ailment attracts and maybe they fear that in healing themselves they’ll have nothing else to talk about?

So, let’s start with something so simple and vital to good health that everyone can do it – NO EXCUSES:

DRINK WATER

Composed of over 80% water as a foetus, our body water content gradually decreases over time until we’re human raisins. 

Not only does water stop your tongue sticking to the roof of your mouth on a hot day, but it plays an undervalued, yet vital part in fluids in the spine, joints and eyes, amongst other things.  It is also used to transport oxygen, vitamins and minerals around the cells via the vast network of arteries, veins and capillaries and eliminates waste from cells and the body.

So, if you don’t hydrate your body properly, how can you expect it to function effectively?  Just as a car would break down if you failed to maintain its fluids and fuel, the same applies to you.

We’ll say it again.  Drink more water.  We know there are those of you who argue that beer, sports drinks and coffee contain water too, but they also contain substances that put your body under unnecessary stress.  Please treat yourselves regularly to more water or even herbal teas.  Notice how much more energy you have, and especially if you’re a serial snacker, how it suppresses your constant cravings for food.  Enjoy more fruits and vegetables with high water content, too.  Become a life explorer and investigate ways to be healthier and happier.

However, be aware that tap water in the UK is pumped with lots of things we’d rather not think about, including heavy metals, chlorine and fluoride.  It also includes some harmful additives which have been banned in other European countries, but apparently it's OK for UK residents to ingest them.  While these chemicals may kill germs in the water, they are also harmful to humans.  Go on, treat yourself to a water filter jug, water ozonator, ioniser or a Bobble today!

We dare you to drink more water every day and see how much better you feel.  You never know, you might just enjoy feeling fabulous!

How cultured are you?

 Maybe you’ve heard, or maybe you haven’t, but you really should love your guts. 

Important for good health and happiness, you might want to keep your colon clean and clear to absorb essential nutrients from food and drink and ensure it is buzzing with friendly bacteria to keep peace down there.  It’s when there’s a dominating acidic environment (caused by stress, processed foods and negative thinking, for example) that things really kick off.  The unfriendly bacteria take over and dis-ease then results in a life less lovely.

Bacterial imbalance in your gut may be key to “development of cancer, asthma, allergies, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and even brain-, behavioral- and emotional problems like ADHD, autism and depression,” according to Dr Mercola (2012).

One option is colonic hydrotherapy, but we’ll talk sh*t another day.  Another, more palatable option, is to probiotically populate your intestines with fermented foods and drinks, such as Sauerkraut or Kefir.  I’ve been researching the effects of fermented food and drink on the body and invested in some kefir grains, after watching Holly Paige demonstrate how little effort is required to reap the rewards.  Always a bonus, in my mind.  Pour milk into a glass jar, add kefir grains, seal jar and wiggle (the jar and you, of course), then leave at room temperature for about 24-36 hours.  Easy!

We only started at the beginning of this week and I have some every day, by adding it to my cacao or fruity smoothies, or simply slurping it neat.  Apparently, after twenty days or so it doubles in size, by which time I’ll be sharing it with friends, so others can benefits from this friendly bacteria.  (We actually started writing this blog two weeks ago and now I can happily confirm that the kefir grains have multiplied prolifically and we now have some to share – yeay!)

Kefir (pronounced /kəˈfɪər/ kə-FEER) from the Turkish for ‘well-being’, is a fermented, slightly sour and fizzy drink and a source of magnesium, calcium, riboflavin, folate and vitamins including A, C, K2 & B12.  Added to this, it is an excellent detoxifier, drawing toxins and heavy metals from body’s cells.

The probiotic ‘friendly’ bacteria found in kefir is beneficial to the intestinal tract and helps treat many gastrointestinal dis-eases.  The lactobacilli, yeasts and kefiran support the immune system and help keep viruses and infections at bay.

We are currently using goats milk because the short and medium chain fats and proteins are easier to digest than cows’ milk and lovely bleety goats aren’t pumped full of antibiotics or rBST hormones to increase milk production, like moo cows are.  Apparently kefir can also be produced from coconut and nut milks too, something we will also investigate in future.

Like most things in life, it is best to find out what works for you, because we are all so beautifully individual and individually beautiful.

Here’s to your good health and happiness xXx 

References

Beck, L (2008)  Kefir - February 2008's Featured Food. Leslie Beck, RD.  Available from:  http://www.lesliebeck.com/ingredient_index.php?featured_food=94  Accessed 27 July 2012

Body Ecology Inc. (n.d.) The Ancient Antidote for Modern Maladies. Body Ecology Inc. Available from: http://www.kefir.net/ Accessed 1 August 2012

Mercola, J (2012) Gut Microbes Might Reflect Health, Diet of Older Americans. Mercola.com. Available from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/01/probiotics-for-optimal-gut-flora.aspx?e_cid=20120801_DNL_artNew_1  Accessed 1 August 2012