NEW PRODUCTS AND DETOXING

I (Sue) have been following a detox diet for some months - well, three and a half to be exact, and have not only lost weight but feel great too.  One of several reasons is that I'm boosting my immune system so that I don't suffer from the usual horrible allergies that normally beset me at this time of year.  Red, swollen, itchy eyes and a streaming nose are a real bring-down.  So far, so good, even though we've been out walking on windy days when the willow and poplar fluff are flying around all over the place and other pollen is in the air.
With the detox diet in mind, we have added some more products to our range for those who might like to try them. They include amaranth and chickpea flour, gluten-free muesli and green tea.  We also have fine unrefined Atlantic sea salt and rice/buckwheat cakes.
Some of you may have noticed that last month we added seaweeds - Nori, Dulse and Wakamé, as well as quinoa, buckwheat and millet flakes.  The seaweeds are full of useful minerals and featured in a recent Food Programme on Radio 4.  The flakes, when combined, make a great gluten-free porridge. Gluten in the diet is no help for those with allergies.

Gluten-free Buckwheat and Rice Flour Bread

I find the shop-bought gluten-free breads unpleasant, so I make my own with a combination of buckwheat and rice flour along with sunflower seeds.  See recipe below.
For those who don't know what to do with seaweeds, here's one tasty suggestion: combine a heaped tablespoon of each of the flakes with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of lemon juice and a large, crushed clove of garlic. You can adjust amounts to suit - great on toasts or with salad. There are lots of other ideas on the net, so go Googling if you're interested.
Sugar in all its forms inc. fruit and fruit juice (!), is a no-no on a serious detox diet, so I've taken to using Stevia, even in baking.  It's available in the supermarkets.
For determined detoxers, avoiding black tea, coffee and alcohol is important. Tough, I know, but really worth the sacrifice for a while.  All infusions are good and I enjoy lemon in green tea.
Anyone who is on my Angloinfo blog mailing list, or who reads it anyway, will have seen posts with reference to some of the above.  Have a read for more info.  Oh, I mustn't forget good old garlic, the wonder bulb, I've blogged about that too.

Gluten-free Bread Recipe


240g Buckwheat Flour (Sarrasin)
240g Rice Flour
90g Quinoa Flakes (Ground for preference)
3 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds
1 tbsp Flax Seeds (Linseed)
1 tsp (sachet) or 3/4 quick shakes of powdered Stevia
1 tsp Xanthum Gum (if you have it, but not essential)
120 ml Water
350 ml Milk or Soya Milk
6 tbsp Sunflower Oil

Combine all the dry ingredients well then gradually pour in the water with the oil until you have a mushy mix.  Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.  Pour mix into the tin and flatten down well using a wettened fork.  Cover the top with sunflower seeds and bake at around 180˚ until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
This loaf is fairly dense and therefore pretty filling, so I suggest you slice it thin.  I hope you'll try the recipe and you'll enjoy the result.  Don't expect it to be like ordinary bread, it's a different experience.

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NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR SINUS INFECTIONS by Sue

In the summer Leaf and I came back from UK with a bug - how unusual! His went pretty quickly but mine developed into sinusitis. After a week I succumbed and went to the doctor. He prescribed a broad-sprectrum anti-biotic, the corticosteroid prednisolone SOLUPRED. It worked but more than that - the side effect was thrush in the mouth. My tongue became very sensitive to hot and cold as did my teeth and gums. Eating was very uncomfortable. I was furious and went back to the doctor to ask for a natural treatment for my mouth. I was recommended a bicarbonate of soda mouthwash. It worked. So, in future, I shall be trying other natural treatments should I get sinusitis again. Here are some:

• avoid mucus-forming foods such as flour products, eggs, chocolate, fried and processed food, sugar and dairy products.
• drink lots of good quality water
• include cayenne pepper, garlic, onion and horseradish in soups, casseroles and stews
• if you can source it, try Japanese wasabi paste with meals - only a tiny bit. It helps with decongestion
• combine 1-2 teaspoons of organic cider vinegar with 6 fl oz of water and a teaspoon of good honey and drink three times a day for five days. It helps thin congested mucus
• again, if you can source it, grapefruit seed extract (GSE) is a natural antibiotic

There are probably lots of other ideas for natural treatments. If you know of one, please either share by comment or send us an email so we can add it to this post. Thanks.

GET A BALANCED BREAKFAST

Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day - gets you started, but, according to ayurvedic principles, breakfast falls in a digestive rest period. The three cycles are believed to be roughly as follows:

INGEST - 12pm - 8pm
DIGEST - 8pm - 4am
REST - 4am - 12pm

I eat fresh fruit for breakfast as it puts very little strain on the digestive system, however, I do add dried fruits, ground nuts and grains. Here they are with some of main goodies they contain:

FLAX SEEDS - Omega 3 fatty acids and Vit C
WHEAT GERM - Protein, virtually all the essential minerals, Vits A, B1 and B3
SOYA LECITHIN - Phospholipids which aid in cell protection - a sort of 'oil' to keep things moving smoothly
APRICOT KERNELS - Vit B17, the anti-cancer vitamin (check out the facts before deciding whether to take these)
BRAZIL NUTS - Primarily Selenium but other minerals too
HAZELNUTS - Vits E & K and selenium
ALMONDS - Loaded with vitamins and minerals
GOJI BERRIES - Also loaded with vitamins and minerals as well as anti-oxidants
CRANBERRIES - Vit C and anti-oxidants

Leaf likes some muesli and granola with his fruit and goodies.

It all adds up to a delicious breakfast. Mind you I do enjoy the odd boiled egg and toast with Leaf's amazing marmalade.

MUSHROOM AND BEAN TERRINE

I promised the other night's dinner guests I'd put this recipe up asap.
Pic of tomatoes because it's pretty and I didn't take one of the terrine before serving, sorry!


225g sliced mushrooms
1 medium chopped onion
1 crushed garlic clove
1 small diced red pepper
1 tbsp veg stock
1tsp dry white wine
200g red kidney beans
1 beaten egg
25g fresh breadcrumbs
herbs of choice
salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 180˚C. Line a large loaf tin with greaseproof.
Put onion, garlic, pepper, mushrooms, stock and wine into a pan, cover and cook for around 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Puree the mixture with the beans until smooth then add egg, breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning. Spoon into loaf tin, press down and cook for 45 to 60 mins. Allow to cool completely in the tin before transferring onto a plate, carefully peeling off the greaseproof and refrigerating for at least three hours before serving.
Lovely with fresh bread and salad.

SERIOUSLY DODGY DAIRY

Scientists find a mass of synthetic chemicals in every glass of milk

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033075_milk_chemical_contamination.html#ixzz1TriU9fCR
Leaf and I cut out dairy in January - are we nuts? No, we don't think so. I posted this on Facebook yesterday. Makes your hair curl.

BACK IN THE SADDLE, as it were

My desk is a mess of paperwork and my mind a jack-in-a-box. Popping up and scaring me just when I thought I had everything under control. So much has been going on of late that the info I had ready for my next post, got lost in the pile. Hence the long delay. Luckily I have now found it.
Cancer has reached almost epidemic proportions, but the emphasis is always on finding a cure and rarely, if at all, on prevention. Tragically it has become an industry with millions of people employed in the research, treatment, care and after-care of this horrendous disease. If we were all able to avoid it they would no longer be needed, but the pharmaceutical giants would be losing out BIG! Health is not their business.
But all is not lost. For those of us who see it as a very real threat, we can adapt our lifestyles in the best effort to keep it at bay.
The biggest baddies are diet and, of course, pollution in our air and water. Chemicals are up there too. Chemicals in cleaning materials, cosmetics, air fresheners, garden products etc. I have posted before on alternatives but, if in any doubt, look at the label. Roundup - check that horror out on the net!
As for diet - here it's easy to get up noses! Our bible is The China Study by T. Colin Campbell (The study can be considered the Grand Prix of Epidemiology - The New York Times) but we know that the advice therein is a bit too drastic for most people. However, here are a few simpler recommendations to help protect the colon which is particularly vulnerable to cancer:
• eat more veg. - a salad a day, a soup a day and lots with the evening meal - raw whenever poss.
• avoid charcuterie (the nitrates they contain are known carcinogens)
• choose chicken or turkey over other meats, better still brazils or walnuts for selenium
• eat more magnesium - in many nuts, seeds, sprouts and dark leafy veg.
• eat more fibre - beans and whole grains are best for this along, of course, with veg.
• eat curries containing turmeric or sprinkle it on veg, add to soups and stews.
A final word, organic eating isn't as expensive as it may seem and is surely worth the extra. Think of the price you might pay for eating foods contaminated with chemicals.
None of this is new, but a reminder every now and then is a good thing. Happy, healthy eating!

TOOTHPASTE - THE HIDDEN DANGERS

Ever thought of checking the ingredients in your toothpaste? If not, then this site might give you quite a shock.

So, why not move over to natural/organic (the bio shops sell various brands) and save your old tube for other uses, such as:

• to relieve irritation from insect bites, blisters etc. - a drop on overnight
• to soothe a minor (not open-wound) burn - apply immediately and leave on
• to clean fingernails - scrub on with nail brush
• to clean food smells off hands - use like soap
• to remove stains from clothes and carpets - apply, rub briskly until spot disappears, then wash as usual
• to clean scuffed shoes - apply directly, scrub with brush then wipe clean
• to make silver sparkle - apply with a soft cloth, leave on overnight then polish up in the morning
• to remove shallow scratches from DVDs and CDs - apply a thin coat, rub gently then rinse clean
• to clean piano keys - apply with a damp cloth, rub gently then wipe clean with another dry cloth

(thanks to Divine Caroline for these)