Tomatoes and Lycopene

Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene (an anti oxidant that reduces cancer risk and cardiovascular disease amongst other things). Lycopene is more bioavailable (ie you absorb/digest it better) when eaten with fats (healthy ones!). Also, when you cook or puree tomato the body is better able to absorb higher amounts of lycopene

Hay Fever & Magical Bee Pollen

Avoid:

• Dairy + sugar (as usual)

• High histamine foods - the longer you leave food after cooking it the more the histamine builds up, so no leftovers! tomatoes, alcohol, fermented foods, avocados, spinach, eggplant, dried fruit.

Helpful things:

• Nettle, think: its in season for a reason,

• Quinoa and brown rice (low in histamine and all the benefits already discussed),

• Seaweeds (wakame/arame)

• Quercetin - is an antioxidant that is great for allergies and generally for reducing inflammation amongst its other benefits. Quercetin containing foods (or you can get supplements) include: garlic and red/white onions, cooked asparagus, red apples/grapes, broccoli, kale, green and black tea, blueberries.

• Probiotics - as usual they help with everything, including hay fever / allergies. In this case though fermented foods like sauerkraut and probiotic yogurt are actually high histamine, so maybe better to try supplements for hayfever specifically.

• Citrus/grapefruit seed extract - (pills/liquid) is an extremely potent natural antibiotic which works for hay fever amongst so many other things (take a pill daily).

  • In tcm terms it ‘dries out damp conditions’ which i’ve explained that most of us in the west suffer from badly (because any refined carbs like white pasta/bread, and sugar causes dampness). Anything to do with diarrhoea is considered a damp condition & grapefruit seed extract can even be taken daily when travelling to prevent ‘travellers diarrhoea’ (not that any of us are going anywhere soon sadly). Equally it works wonders in pill form for candida which we have spoken about or throat issues (tonsillitis) or as an ointment eg for fungal toe infections, warts, athletes foot, dandraff/scalp problems, and ear infections

• Bee pollen - (food of a young bee) is amazing for hayfever. Its also a rich source of protein (contains lots of ‘free’ amino acids ready to be used by the body) and vitamin B12. It actually is described as one of natures ‘most nourishing foods’ as it contains nearly all he nutrients required by humans.

  • Its been used by lots of different cultures (including TCM) as a nutritive ‘tonic’ for things like helping recovery from chronic illness, building new blood, and also has natural antibiotic properties and so helps prevent the common cold and flu (might be worthwhile thinking about given corona). It’s also got anti-cancer qualities and is supposed to help protect children against developmental disorders.

  • When looking at hay fever specifically pollen and raw, unprocessed honey (which contains pollen) are known and used remedies - although it’s said that the products need to be used up to 6 weeks before the pollen season + continued throughout the season to work at its best).

  • Royal jelly - (the sole food of the queen bee), has even greater nutrient properties and goes as far as being helpful for both men and women with infertility issues. For all the vegans in this group - royal jelly is said to give those lacking in animal protein ‘all the protein they need’ (can be found as pills, powder or preserved in honey and it’s so powerful only 100-400 milligrams are needed daily).

A squeeze of Lemon

Why citrus fruits are amazing…

• Citrus fruits increase blood flow and circulation via hesperidin a phytonutrient they contain meaning that if you suffer from cold fingers and toes (especially now that winter is here), then you should up your intake of citrus fruits. This benefit also decreases stroke risk too!

• The vitamin C content in many citrus fruits such as lemon increases the absorption of many other nutrients. For example, adding a squeeze of lemon into a green tea will boost the antioxidants in the tea and your absorption of them.

• Vitamin C also helps you absorb iron more efficiently. So, especially if you are anaemic, try adding a squeeze of lemon onto your kale or lentils.

• Citrus fruits are also great detoxifiers (lemon in water/hot water in the morning is great - cautious with your teeth enamel though). For an extra detox kick add the lemon peel (unwaxed, preferably organic) - score it with a knife/fork to get the goodness out. This releases compounds that help us make glutathione, the bodies master anti oxidant. Imagine glutathione is a little pac man in the body going around and munching away the bad free radicals 🍋 🍊.

Kale

My superstar cruciferous vegetable! Why? You guessed it, kale is great for the eyes, as it contains Lutein and Zeaxanthin.
Any other benefits: plenty!

• Optimum health in general - kale is exceptionally rich in chlorophyll, iron, calcium, vits C, K B6 and more..

• Cancer protection - its sulfur containing phytonutrients activate enzymes to detoxify the liver, clearing carcinogens

• Heart health - lowers cholesterol as it’s fibre rich nutrients help the fat pass out of the body with the bowel movement

• Supports detoxification - great to get rid of toxins from natural and environmental sources
  
  

In Chinese Medicine, kale is seen as warming; easing lung congestion (great for Corona), and helps treat stomach ulcers.

Let’s not forget Kale has oxalates and it is Goitrogenic so best eaten cooked.

I add kale to my soups but it’s best to steam it for 5 mins to maintain its nutrients.

As usual, buy organically grown kale as conventionally grown ones appear in Dirty Dozen 2019 list (see my post on Dirty Dozen and Clean 15).

Enjoy kale at least 3x week, I am sure you will be happy with the benefits.

Eggs

Require small amounts of potent animal protein? Go for eggs!

Egg whites rich in ‘complete’ protein (it contains all the essential amino acids) and yolks rich in many powerful nutrients.

Benefits:
- Optimum growth - their protein helps build, repair and strengthen
- Eye health (yes me and eyes again) - rich in Lutein, Zeaxanthin, omega 3, vit A and zinc
- Heart and Brain health - rich in Omega 3, lecithin, choline, all B vits, vit D, zinc
- Prevent birth defects - rich in B vits and choline
- Worried about cholesterol? Don’t be! Eggs actually help remove cholesterol from the liver and make it available for energy; they also increase ‘ good cholesterol’ levels
- Weight loss - eggs are filling so they keep you satisfied and full for longer after eating

In Chinese Medicine, eggs are seen as tonifying blood and yin; but they also promote dampness so limit eggs if you have signs like mucus; they also contribute to ‘wind’ conditions such as strokes and spasms, so again limit them if worried about these conditions.

Eggs can cause allergic reactions for some; anaphylaxis is less common but hives, diarrhoea and wheezing may be experienced, so caution is needed here.

Unless you are a vegan, including cooked small amounts of eggs in your diet seems safe and healthy!

PREbiotics

We have already spoken about the importance of both fibre and probiotic foods/supplements. It’s also true that the effects/benefits of probiotic supplements can wear off quite quickly after you stop taking them.

This brings us onto PREbiotics. Probiotics are actual ‘live’ microflora/gut bacteria which we are putting into the body, whilst prebiotics are the ’food’ these microflora live off, helping them work and grow - really we need both in combination… like us without their food probiotics quickly die. Prebiotics are essentially forms of soluble fibre. i.e. probiotics work whilst your taking them, but unless you are eating enough prebiotics in your diet too, the good bacteria quickly dies once you stop taking the supplements.

Prebiotics are good for helping:

• all sorts of digestive issues (IBS, bloating etc) and candida,

• plus they regulate blood sugar levels, lower insulin concentration (therefore improving insulin sensitivity) and increase satiety (the feeling of fullness).

• They also generally help boost the immune system and reduce digestive tract cancers (especially colon cancer).

• They also help with reducing inflammation and are also good for eczema and asthma.

As usual i’d say food first before considering supplements, but in in this case theres very little harm in trying prebiotics. f you want help working out what kind of prebiotic to take/eat here are some you can try (everyones different so you need to start slowly and see what works for you!):

Foods:

• raw chicory root (chicory tea is really tasty, It sort of tastes like coffee and I have it as an alternative sometimes when i don’t want the caffeine hit of coffee),

• bananas,

• raw Jerusalem artichoke,

• raw garlic,

• raw leeks,

• onions (raw and cooked),

• raw asparagus

• Green tea (esp matcha green tea) also has prebiotic polyphenol properties (and the L theanine we already spoke about which helps improve focus).

Supplements:

• Beta glucans (found in oats, barley, wheat, rye, seaweed, shiitake mushrooms)

• Psyllium husk - also helps with hormonal imbalances. Good to have at night 1tea spoon mixed with little water (turns it into a gelatinous product like a chia pudding), then have a tall glass of water/herbal tea. Be cautious though as if you are not hydrating enough then it can cause constipation instead!

• Partially hydrolysed guar gum

• Acacia powder

• Wheat dextrin (avoid if celiac or wheat allergy)

• Isomalto-oligosaccharide (IMO) which has been prepared by fermentation (so also found in miso, soy sauce, honey) - this one is particularly gentle on the gut -

• Maybe avoid one called inulin (found in onions/leeks) as it can cause or make bloating/gas worse for some people.

For more info on Prebiotics click here

EAT THE RAINBOW

Today’s rule is really simple: EAT THE RAINBOW.

You’ve probably heard that expression before and there’s a reason for it. Anti oxidants get rid of free radicals in the body (simplifying things - free radicals come from all the bad stuff, smoking, pollution, refined sugars... and they damage cells so we want them gone!).

You’ve heard of blueberries being a superfood - mostly because of their high antioxidant content. BUT, studies show that antioxidants only work when eaten IN COMBINATION. Not to say eating an entire punnet of blueberries is necessarily bad for you, but it would be a WHOLE lot better for you if you had a mixture of berries or fruits and veg all together.

There was a famous study when they found that beta carotene (found in carrots) helped in lung cancer, so they isolated the chemical from carrots, turned it into a supplement and then gave it to patients with lung cancer expecting them to be cured. What happened? They got worse, far far worse than the controls. Why? Because beta carotene only works in combinations with other anti oxidants! (Also just another example of why supplements and medicines should be a last resort and you should always try adjusting your diet first!).

Most fruits and veg’s colour determines their antioxidant contents, making the rule of eat the rainbow in every meal a really simple way of making sure you get that vital mix of anti oxidants from your fruit and veg!

- Red onions face 76% more anti oxidant capacity than white onions

- Red cabbage has 8 x more than green cabbage

- Red apples or grapes more than green

Think colour. The brighter the better (as long as it’s not artificially made so).

HYPERTENSION... during Corona

High Blood Pressure (HBP), also known as Hypertension tells us that our arteries are not that healthy. HBP means that we are more susceptible to heart and kidney disease and to strokes. Obviously we should try to avoid it at the best of times, but more so now with Corona hovering above us!

Luckily, HBP is closely related to our diet and lifestyle; this means we can do something about it:

• Exercise - regular exercise, even mild to moderate such as 20mins 3x week helps

• Stress - try yoga, relaxation, meditation but best of all, try breathing exercises

• Stop smoking and reduce alcohol to 2 glasses of wine per week

• Diet - switch to mainly a plant based diet; Evidence shows that Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is very effective. This plant based diet is low in saturated and total fat, high in fibre

• Reduce sodium to potassium ratio - reduce table salt and increase potassium rich foods such as bananas, peas and leafy greens

• Celery - 6 celery sticks a day, a big must!

• Garlic and onions - also help with cholesterol

• Oily fish, nuts and seeds - for their omega 3

• Foods rich in calcium, magnesium and vit C
  

Remedies:

• Turmeric - reduces plaque formation, anti-inflammatory

• Hawthorn and Hibiscus - tablet or tea form, hawthorn also helps with insomnia

• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) - provides benefits in about 50% of cases

• Garlic - supplements in dried form helps to lower HBP

• Magnesium and Calcium supplements

• Omega 3 fish oil supplements - preferable from food
  

You might be lucky to have had low BP all your life but from your late 50s your BP may start rising. Do yourself a favour, buy an Omron blood pressure monitor, just in case.

Do not overlook these lifestyle changes, they work. Always discuss these and any supplements you take with your cardiologist. Just be aware, having a healthy BP is in your hands, good luck!

Brown Rice

Is rice a bad and naughty food?.... it’s fattening, a contributor to obesity and diabetes/blood sugar imbalances ….

But..... this is in only reference to refined white rice, where milling causes all the nutrients to be lost. So many people as a result cut these carbs out of the diet entirely or feel guilty eating them, so i wanted to mention some of whole wheat rice’s benefits.

• Its a good source of fibre,

• has a positive effect on blood sugar regulation,

• contains 70+ antioxidants (some that specifically target oxides from fats/oils),

• contains unique forms of vitamin E (rare tocotrienols) that lower excess fat & cholesterol + provide anti-tumour protection,

• an antioxidant found only in brown rice in meaningful quantities (Gamma-oryzanol) strengthens all the bodies muscles, AND converts fat into lean body mass. It improves blood circulation to the extremities (and helps with clots/blood stagnation) and helps with hormone regulation,

• ALA another antioxidant in brown rice promotes liver restoration,

• GPx an enzyme in brown rice also helps detoxify the body - its used to treat liver cirrhosis from alcoholism, (plus RA, MS, acne and asthma - it generally helps boost respiratory function and reduces mucus),

• Both ALA and GPx plus another Antioxidant found in rice are also all used to help with the symptoms of ageing,

• Lastly, lecithin found in brown rice, helps absorb vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins and has been used extensively to enhance brain activity, especially in terms of improving attention (eg in ADHD).

Brown rice in TCM is used for its calming effects, which in western nutrition is connected with brown rice’s abundance of B vitamins and trace minerals. Linked to studies showing a high percentage of people with mental health issues - depression/anxiety, are deficient in B vitamins & zinc.

When eating rice, something to be cautious of is arsenic which is a toxin found in rice (most in rice cakes/crackers, and more in brown than white basmati). This makes soaking & preparation methods all the more important. Make sure to soak the brown rice overnight, rinsed (until the water runs clear), cooked with excess water, rinse again.

So in summary - don’t ditch carbs entirely (even if your goal is weight loss), prepare it properly & swap white rice for unrefined/whole wheat brown rice !

Spinach

Healthy right? Yes... But!
When we think of spinach, we think of Popeye, strength, muscles, iron.. All that is absolutely true; spinach is so very rich in nutrients.

It is low in calories, fat free and a great plant based source of iron. It is rich in carotenoids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin (eyes..eyes).
These nutrients provide anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits.
Spinach also has high amounts of vit K, calcium and magnesium, therefore amazing for bone health.
In Chinese Medicine it is seen as cooling, diuretic, helping to get rid of blood toxins, clearing the skin, moistening dryness; it is also great for constipation and quenching thirst.

So far so good! Where is the but?
Firstly, spinach is always in the dirty dozen list (see my post), high in pesticide; buy organic and avoid this problem.
Secondly, we have a high E. coli risk; quick boil it for one minute to avoid this risk.
Thirdly, spinach has a high oxalic content which tends to neutralise its calcium benefit; cooking only reduces the oxalic content by about 10%. If you have oxalate sensitivity, which is quite common, stay away from it.
Last but definitely not least, if you eat too much spinach you may get abdominal pain, kidney stones or even tremors!
Yes, eat spinach, but in moderation, no more than twice a week and always quick boil it for a minute!

Bananas

Why write a post about this simple fruit? Read on..
Sweet, creamy and soo rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre.
They provide high amounts of energy and replenish electrolytes - no wonder athletes love them
Their vit C and manganese provide substantial antioxidant benefits against free radicals
Their potassium and sterols benefit heart health by lowering blood pressure and keeping cholesterol levels in check 
Their pectin, a form of fibre, helps with digestive health, and is also great for ulcers, constipation and haemorrhoids
In Chinese Medicine they are seen as cooling; they moisten the lungs and intestines, so are great for a dry cough and thirst (why not during Corona!); to relieve dryness it is recommended to make a thick soup with bananas
They also help detoxify the body, control blood sugar levels and even provide support with weight loss - since they are sweet and filling they help with sugar cravings.
For me their best benefit is in relation to our nervous system; thanks to their magnesium and tryptophan, they help us relax, fall asleep and overcome depression (again great during Corona).
Caution is needed for those feeling cold and with latex allergies
Enjoy - you can’t go wrong with one nice banana a day.

Candida/Thrush

A less fun topic today, but let's be honest nutrition and our bodies aren't always fun... .

Most people don't know this can be HUGELY affected by diet, especially if you are a chronic sufferer. You'll notice a lot of the items are the same as with constipation and lots of people suffer with both.

Things to avoid:

• yeast and dampness creating foods = i.e. those at cold temperature,

• too sweet/salty (avoid salt in general, only a pinch when cooking grains),

• mucus producing/stale food,

• alcohol

• yeasted breads (bagels, challah, pretzels) - for bread better to go for rye/whole grain sourdough

• overeating and overly complicated meals with lots of ingredients (simple food pairing is key)

• all refined sugars (white bread/pasta)

• fruit

• nuts/seeds - apart from flaxseed or flax oil and olive oil if any oil.

• All dairy, if you have to go for goats milk.

• antibiotics, obviously. If so, make sure to take probiotics

• generally, meat/eggs aren’t great. If you are not vegan, fish and chicken is better than red meat. In general you consume low levels of antibiotics from eating meat since most our livestock is treated with antibiotics.

Good things to try:

• Specific probiotics that are good are those containing spore based products such as L sporogenes and B laterosporus (in this case better than the usual acidophilus) and you want to take them on an empty stomach once (or twice if its really bad) daily.

• Probiotic foods: pickles, raw sauerkraut and chlorophyll rich foods (deep green veg like kale), small amounts of miso soup.

• In general chlorophyll rich foods help grow intestinal microflora (the good bacteria) and stop the spread of fungus/bad bacteria - parsley, kale, watercress, cabbage, romaine lettuce)

• Quality vinegar (apple cider, WITH THE MOTHER - it should say that on the bottle)

• Garlic - v. antiviral/anti-fungal. (better before food), contains something called allicin which is very anti-yeast (and has loads of other benefits including anti-cancer properties, for cardiovascular issues etc). Little tip, Crushing/chopping garlic releases the allicin - chop, wait 10 mins for the chemicals in it to react, then eat…better if you can to have raw ( if you’re going to cook it still wait ten mins post chopping before cooking!).

• grapefruit seed extract (diluted) pills are amazing for candida

• 50% of your diet should be: grains. Some grains are good (they are a good source of lignins which inhibit yeast growth) including quinoa, amaranth, oats, barley, rye - you want to try consume around 50% of these grains sprouted (you can buy eg sprouted oats in supermarkets)

• 10% of diet: beans and legumes (should also be sprouted) and mixed with green and low starch veg

• 40/50% of diet: vegetables. Low starch veg is best for candida, especially avoid sweet potato and potato. Carrots and parsnips are ok to be eaten regularly.

THE MAIN TWO that will speed up recovery the most are: eating the sauerkraut and simple food combining.

For more info on Probiotics click here

Fibre

What actually IS fibre, and what does it do?

Fibre is basically the indigestIble portion of foods - pulp of fruits, cell walls (cellulose) of vegetables. There is essentially no fibre in animal products. it’s also preventative against cancer (fibre is a source of pentose which is an anti cancer agent). In TCM terms is good for the ‘metal element’ (metal organs are the lungs + large intestine) so it is not only good for the bowels, but also for cleansing the lungs.

There are two types of fibre, most plants contain both: soluble & insoluble. You want to get some of both types, both help with blood sugar regulation.

• Soluble dissolves in water, and includes plant pectin and gums, soluble fibre includes: oats, chia seeds, prunes, figs, flax seeds, apples, pears (soluble fibre is the pectin in the skin of apples/pears/plums). Soluble fibre creates a gel which helps digestion

• Insoluble includes: plan cellulose/hemicellulose. Insoluble fibre attracts water to the stools making them softer and easier to pass, and promotes regularity of bowel movements.

Common foods and their rough fibre amounts:

• spinach: 100g 1/2 cup cooked - 2.4g

• Kiwi: 1 medium - 2.1g (also contains actinidin which helps protein digestion too)

• banana: 1 medium - 3.1g

• pear: 1 medium 6g

• prunes: 0.7g per prune

• peach 1 medium - 2.3g

• apple: 1 medium - 4.4g

• cauliflower: 100g - 2g

• carrot: medium - 1.7g

• cabbage: 100g - 2.5g

• broccoli: 100g - 2.6g

• peas: 100g - 5g

• kale: 100g - 2g

• asparagus: 100g - 2.1g

• beetroot: 1 boiled - 2g

• almonds: handful - 4g

• pine nuts: handful - 3g

• chia seeds: 1 tablespoon - 4/5g

• walnuts: 30g - 1.9g (also got that omega-3 in!)

• sweet potato: 3.9g

• brown rice: 100g cooked - 1.8g

• quinoa: 100g cooked - 2.7

• wholewheat sourdough: 1 slice - 1.9g

• porridge: bowl of - 3/4g

• kidney beans: 100g - 25g

• lentils: cooked 100g - 8g

• chickpeas: 100g - 17g

• rice cakes: 2 cakes - 0.8g

• sauerkraut: 50g - 2.9g

• FLAXSEED: 1 tablespoon ground - 1.9g

So, a very doable example day of 35g of fibre:

• Breakfast - porridge of soaked, sprouted oats (with Ceylon cinnamon) + a banana and tablespoon of flax seeds + chia seeds: 12g

• Lunch - spoonful of that probiotic sauerkraut as a starter: 1g, soaked, cooked quinoa with broccoli, spinach, peas, kale and some tuna/salmon (get that protein and omega 3 in too): 9g

• Afternoon snack: soaked handful of almonds: 4g OR an apple: 4.4g

• Dinner - soaked brown rice with soaked and slow cooked lentils: 9g

Chronic Constipation

Things to avoid:

So, it starts with avoiding all the things I speak about all the time that TCM + nutrition just don’t like in general: -

• dairy,

• (red/all) meat/rich foods,

• alcohol,

• refined white carbs (white pasta/rice/bread)

• fried food (including e.g. swapping fried to poached eggs).

Other things you might not have thought about to avoid:

• foods with baking soda/powder

• yeasted breads (bagels, challah, pretzels), instead go for wholegrain sourdough

• NSAIDs (painkillers like ibuprofen) slow down the stools and cause us to produce less mucus in the gut in general (leaving it susceptible to damage)

Things to do:

• Drink 1.5-2L room temp or above water (filtered preferably, NEVER COLD)

• Have a hot breakfast/ hot food in general over cold

• Exercise regularly

• SOAKING EVERYTHING IS SO SO IMPORTANT IF YOU SUFFER WITH CHRONIC CONSTIPATION AND CAN BE A TOTAL GAME CHANGER FOR YOU

• Chew more/better & generally eat more mindfully.

• Separate out meals, less snacking - leave significant time between meals. The intermittent fasting I spoke about here may also help relieve constipation.

Additional therapies to try:

• Flax seeds/flax-meal/ flax oil - soaked, (up to three tablespoons once/twice daily)

• A bit of apple cider vinegar before each meal (as always, raw, unpasteurised, WITH the mother). Also a note that it’s high in histamine so if you have any allergies/hay fever maybe skip this one

• Aloe vera works as a laxative (but its v.cooling so be careful)

Teas are a good idea, they up your liquid content if you’re bad at drinking water too:

• Digestive herbs (can be had as teas, supplements or added to food): dandelion or liquorice root, oregano, dill, caraway, mint

• Other good teas include carminative teas, which help with bloating/distension/constipation, these include: Anise, Fennel, Peppermint, Lemon balm, Chamomile, Rosemary, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Coriander, Cumin, Fenugreek, Orange peel.

In general we want to do three things with our nutrition:

1. Lubricate the intestines: spinach, banana, sesame seed/oil, honey, pear, prune, peach, apple, apricot, walnut, pine nuts, almonds, alfalfa sprouts, carrot, cauliflower, beets, okra, seaweed

2. Promote bowel movements: cabbage, papaya, peas, coconut, sweet potato, asparagus, figs, wheat/rice/oat bran

3. Replenish the gut microflora: i.e. all probiotic foods will help as already discussed (as long as no SIBO)

Constipation always takes us onto FIBRE. The recommended amount is 35g of fibre per day and you can see more about Fibre and where to get it here.

The L-Theanine craze

What is L-Theanine and should we all be taking it?

L-Theanine is an amino acid that helps you feel calm & less anxious. It’s good for blood pressure and all sorts of other things.

I would always be cautious to take a supplement (especially as its a new 'fad' rather than a long term tried and tested thing), and as I always say, instead try and get it from food. In this case, tea! Things exist in nature in combinations on purpose, other items in the tea for example could be what you need to absorb the L-theanine properly.

Normal black and green tea are both remedies for diarrhoea. They help poor digestion from acute or inflammation in the digestive tract (like IBD), and also help clear herpes (cold sore) outbreaks when you apply soaked tea leaves to the affected area.

In general tea also helps with flatulence, is cooling, relieves thirst and acts as a diuretic. Tea also cuts the fats & oils from rich meals. For these uses, the tea should be slowly infused, for the aforementioned ailments, small sips of stronger tea is better.

Green and black tea have it and if you don't love the little bit of caffeine in black tea for the evening then oolong tea can be drunk in the late afternoon.

In summary, drink tea don't take supplements. When its new, always be cautious.

Should we all be taking probiotics?

I was recently asked if we should all be taking probiotic supplements.

My answer is not so straightforward, personally, I would always push for getting everything you need from food over taking supplements where you can. For probiotics, examples of foods include fermented foods, pickles, yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and miso.

Having said that, often the probiotic nature of some foods gets wiped out by stomach acid - if you are intending to target lower gut areas like the large intestine then supplements may be more successful for you. Also, if you are taking or have recently taken or are about to start taking antibiotics then probiotic supplements are a must! Antibiotics wipe out all the good bacteria in the gut causing all sorts of issues in the body.

In general probiotics are good for a whole load of things, from mental health (they are mood boosting, general cognitive function improvements, anti depressants, aid insomnia), To helping acne/skin issues like eczema They are good for most gut/bowel related issues (IBD,IBS, constipation, diarrhoea), & yeast infections (eg candida - thrush). The only time I would not recommend probiotics is if you have SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) or think you might have it (go get tested first), as probiotics can make it worse.

For more on probiotics, and which I recommend, click here.

However, please note those recommended probiotics are good for the general issues (antibiotic use, mood, skin, candida), but if you have specific stomach issues (IBS, IBD, diarrhoea, constipation etc), then you should do your own research based on your personal symptoms to see which ones are best suited for you, since they all contain different types/amounts of bacteria.

If you are taking probiotics, never take them forever or your body will get lazy and stop making them yourself. 3 weeks on 1 week off is a good method. Usually if you take a normal course of antibiotics, 6 months worth of probiotics would probably be good for you!

In terms of finding the right probiotic supplement for you, here are some hard and fast rules for helping to pick between the many available online:

• you want lots of bacteria (go for 25-50 billion minimum)

• the more individual strains i n there the better

• look at how many bacteria there are guaranteed by a defined expiry date (if absent may show they aren’t good quality)

• vegan (the non-dairy based ones are better)

• delayed release capsule - i.e. not to get broken down by the stomach acid so it can get to the correct place in the body (large intestine)

• I would generally refrigerate probiotics but usually its a good sign if they can survive outside the fridge

Also, for more info on prebiotics, click here! and here

Lectins, soaking + storing nuts and seeds properly

When storing nuts and seeds - they should be kept in the freezer (not fridge) and definitely not outside. If you want to snack you can still take out a handful and they defrost in a few minutes, although it would always be better so soak nuts and seeds before you eat them.

Time required to soak depends on how oily the nuts are - eg almonds/pistachios/hazelnuts should be soaked for around 8/9 hours compared to Brazil nuts/pecans/walnuts are oilier and swell up quickly so only around 3/ hours. The shortest soaking time is for cashews/macadamias/pine nuts which have the highest fat content and so only require around 2 hours.

Nuts, seeds, legumes and starchy carbs (eg rice or potatoes) contain something called lectins which a chemical these foods make to protect themselves. These chemicals set off an immune reaction in our bodies (this is especially important for anyone with an auto immune condition e.g. IBD). By soaking them you help remove the lectins.

For legumes and rice, after you soak them you want to rinse them a few times (until the water runs clear) which also helps this process (you are removing the outer shell which again, protects these things from getting eaten by birds etc as they grow).

When you’re boiling these things you see the scum come up at the top of the water, remove this as you cook (you’ll see if you soak them before you get less of this).

For more info on Nuts and Seeds, click here!

For more on grains, click here!

For more on beans and legumes, click here!

The benefits of slow cooking

TCM and Naturopathic Nutrition both agree that slow cooking is the best cooking method.

This is especially true for dense protein. For example, it’s much harder for your body to digest a grilled steak than say, a slow cooked beef casserole. By cooking it for a long time, you are hugely breaking down the meat before you consume it so your body then has far less digesting to do. This is very effective when cooking with lots and lots of herbs and greens. The fibre in the greens helps your body digest the meat. Same goes for lemon, the lemon can partially digest the food for you.

If you think back to many Middle Eastern countries where slow cooking methods were invented, often they were only able to get bad cuts of meet, so they slow cooked them with lots of other things to break them down making them easier to digest for the body.

Slow cooked bone broth is TCM’s magic elixir and you can see more about it in my post on Bone Broth.

There’s lots of debate over cooked vs raw as certain vitamins e.g. vitamin C leeches into water when you boil vegetables. However, with a soup/broth you are actually then still consuming that water and hence taking in that vitamin goodness.

The same applies to carbohydrates too - if you are a sucker for rice and pasta like me, I would always firstly suggest swapping white for brown. pasta, but, also have a think about your digestion and how you can help it - we spoke already about leaving it to cool so that you get a higher ratio of that good resistant slow burning starch, but also combine it with lots of green leafy veg which will help your body digest it (or for example go for a slow cooked sauce).

Thyme

Another herb that i'm learning about is Thyme - turns out its extremely antimicrobial/ anti-fungal/ antiviral (thats why its an ingredient in a lot of mouth washes). So another thing to chuck into your soups (thyme into that bone broth everyone!), salads, teas.

Especially relevant if you suffer from mouth ulcers/cold sores & also re: IBD some studies show it's helpful to decrease ulcers in UC.

Cooking with oil

Light, temperature and air all denature oil making it bad to consume…

What you are trying to avoid is heating any polyunsaturated fats so if you are ever wondering about an oil you can look it up and see if its got lots of polyunsaturated fats in it. Only saturated fats should be used for cooking with at high temperatures (e.g. the best would be coconut oil, or less good, but still a saturated fat, butter).

Extra virgin olive oil is thought to be ok as it is a monounsaturated (single unsaturated bond) + so is less sensitive to heat - i.e. can be heated but to a lesser amount than coconut oil.

Vegetable oils do have polyunsaturated (many unsaturated fat) which means they should not be heated! They can be put onto warm food after its been cooked, but better if you wait for the food to cool, so as little heat touches the oil as possible.

You should keep all oils away from light in the house wherever you store it, and store it in a dark bottle - thats why you usually see olive oil in a dark bottle, but this applies to all oils. You should also close the lid as soon as you have used it, allowing as little air to enter the bottle as possible.

Things like linseed or flaxseed oil should also be kept in dark bottles and in the fridge, they should only be used cold for say dressing a salad never to be cooked with.

You hear about 'trans fats' being bad for you. As a fat turns into a trans fat it becomes more solid. Hence, margarine is having turned oil into a trans fat, making it that buttery composition (and making it bad for you). Equally, when you reheat oils many times they get more sticky, this is whats happening - the oils turn into trans-fats.

In general, it would be best NOT to cook with oil at all, and instead to add some organic extra virgin olive oil to your food after it’s cooked!

For more info on Olive Oil, click here!