an interesting post from nutrliving page

https://www.nutriliving.com/articles/eating-your-way-to-stronger-immune-function?utm_source=nutrilivinglist&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=033016nutrilivingweekly

happy sumster

Easter

 and the start of British summertime on the same day?

have a good one smoothie monsters

Id really like some feed-back. the

I've been doing this blog now for 6 months now.

I bet it seems longer for you.

I would really like to know if I'm actually making any good points. Or is this just an exercise in self indulgent futility?

I started this blog really as a form of catharsis for me, but I have found some of my friends actually taking some of my points on board and a couple of them have actually said that switching to a daily smoothie has actually made a small difference in their lives.

Most notably, someone in my immediate family asked if there could be a smoothie that could help with her imsomnia. After a little research, I came up with a smoothie which now helps her sleep every night. AMAZING.

I would love your assistance!

 Is there anything about my blog entries that you like?

Is there anything that you don't like?

Is there anything that you would like me to feature?

Please leave a comment in the comments section at the foot of the page.

I honestly look forward to hearing from anyone out there.

Thanks for reading my thoughts and words.

Have a great Easter

organic vs, non part 2

Here are some links to go with my last post

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/08/organic-vs-non-organic-whats-the-difference/#.VvMhQY_XJdg

AND

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/organic-food-vs-non-organic-food.html

Here's a little graph

More Facts and figures

http://www.satyamorganics.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=74

and here's a picture of a fluffy calf

Organic vs Non. Is the Jury STILL out?

There are many people who buy organic produce.

Many of these people buy organic SOME of the time because they have been told that it is better for them.

Some of these people only buy the occasional organic broccoli when the shop is out of "normal" Broccoli.

Very few of these people will buy organic food ALL of the time.

The problem is that the majority of people will never knowingly buy organic produce.

I will let you guess which of these categories I fall into, which, hopefully, after you've finished reading this post, will be a very easy guess for you.

There are many reasons why organic produce is good for you.

Organic food has more of the antioxidant compounds linked to better health than regular food, and lower levels of toxic metals and pesticides, according to the most comprehensive scientific analysis to date.

The international team behind the work suggests that switching to organic fruit and vegetables could give the same benefits as adding one or two portions of the recommended "five a day".

This research was done at Newcastle university by a team led by Prof Carlo Leifert and concludes by saying that the levels of anti-oxidents in organic foods were up to 69% higher than in non organic. (depending on which food was tested)

The increased levels of antioxidants are equivalent to "one to two of the five portions of fruits and vegetables recommended to be consumed daily.

Now, I don't ever want my blog entries to be too dry, but when I tell you facts, I feel its important to back them up with research and I often joke that I like to stand on other peoples shoulders when it comes to dry facts, but I am convinced that it is essential that we all head towards a more organic and agrarian system.

Beneath is a graphic that I found in the Guardian newspaper that explains why people choose to go over to organic.

So as you can see, there are 5 main reasons why we should all go organic. All of these reasons are very valid, but the main argument against organic is, sadly very difficult to beat.

COST

 EXPENSE

FILTHY LUKA

But I've been doing my sums and it doesn't need to be a huge amount more expensive

• YOU can spend 25p more on 2 pints of semi-skimmed organic milk (£1.14) at supermarkets
• 45p more on an organic 800g wholemeal loaf (£1.20) at Sainsbury's
• £1 more per kg on organic white grapes (£5 per kg) at both Sainsbury's and Tesco
• £3.23 more on organic pork chops (£5.50) at Tesco than standard ones
• £1.03 more on a pack of six organic mixed-weight eggs (£2) at Asda
• 40p more on a 340g tub of organic crunchy peanut butter (£1.70) at Sainsbury's

But there is also ways that you can get organic food without spending a huge amount.

There is always that brown stuff in your garden called EARTH

Or for those without gardens there are VITALITLY BOXES

or HYDROPONICS

But the determining factor that will eventually bring down the price of Organics will always be DEMAND. So if more of us start buying it......The price will drop 

Sugar tax

just one thing I stupidly omitted from my last post. Today was a very important day when our government made a very bold decision to tax companies that dump huge amounts of sugar into their products.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/sugar-tax-what-does-it-mean-and-who-will-be-affected/

Love them or hate them, you've gotta applaud them for finally doing SOMETHING.

How green can you go for St. Patrick

So, Its that time of the year when the whole world discovers that it has a great-great-great uncle who shook hands with someone who got his roof fixed by someone called Seamus. Which automatically means we can all have a pint of stout and jump around like a loony.

Plus it also allows bloggers, like myself to find the MOST tenuous link possible for our specific sphere of interest.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING

So it's time to green up your life, Sure, but you might not know some of the following greens that you might not know are really good for you. In fact you might not even know are OK to even eat. 

First of all, this may surprise you, but I have done a bit of research and have found out that the Shamrock is not only edible, but can be good for you too.

The traditional image of the Shamrock is based upon the beautiful White Clover (Trifolium repens) and its cousin, the Red Clover (Trifolium praetese). Both of these herbaceous perennials have historically been used to treat a variety of common ailments including fever, coughs, and colds. Red Clover is used as the basis of an ointment to treat gout and skin rashes, and a mild infusion of the flowers can be used to treat eye infections. Red Clover has calming properties and can be used with a mixture of herbs such as chamomile and hops as a mild sedative. In addition the humble little Red Clover has been proven to have anti-cancerous properties and has been used in medicine to treat cancerous growths.
Here's a little film 

http://youtu.be/ANjrngwLOVE

The next item that is secretly edible and extremely good for you is Dandelion. That's right,

DANDELION

The dandelion greens are the part to be eaten

The time to harvest dandelion greens is early in the spring, when they are their youngest and before they flower.

They can be harvested again in late Autumn as they lose some of their bitterness after a frost.

For a special treat, get out early in spring and look for the crown, which is the cluster of new buds that sits above the taproot. These are the tenderest, sweetest parts of the plant.

Young dandelion greens are tender and delicious served raw in salads or sandwiches. Just remember that you should try and avoid dandelions by the roadside, or where dogs gather to mark their territories. ALWAYS WASH THEM THOROUGHLY.

Use sauteed or steamed dandelion greens as you would any other greens. Dandelion root can by ground and used as a substitute for coffee, and dandelion flowers can be used in recipes and for garnish.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/the-dandelion-is-a-healthful-great-tasting-weed-you-can-eat/

And finally.....Every kiddies nightmare the 

NETTLE

Here's a little film 

http://youtu.be/re4UqiTrDNY

It might seem weird to eat a 'dangerous weed', but people have been doing it for hundreds of years. As an energy tonic, nettles are revered. In springtime you may find groves of stinging nettle, often growing in rich soil in slightly shady places.  Rather than avoiding them, arm yourself with a good pair of gloves and reap the benefits!

Nettle is a weed to some and a valuable healing herb to others.

Some of you may recognise the name Urtica Urens as the homeopathic remedy, utilised in – guess what - cases of itching and stings.

Why eat nettles?

Nettles are one of the most powerful iron sources in the vegetable kingdom.
Great for anaemia, for during menstruation (to top up departing iron stocks) and as a general blood tonic. Whenever you feel run down, or tired, think nettles!

 
Eating nettles or drinking the tea makes your hair brighter, thicker and shinier; it makes your skin clearer and healthier, good for eczema and other skin conditions.  Nettle tea is also a tonic for house or garden plants!

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/30/nettle-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall

HAPPY PADDY'S DAY NON-IRISH GUYS

HERE IS MY RECIPE

The little leprechaun monster

1 Cup Kale

1   Ripe Banana, frozen

5 Leaves Mint 

½   Pears

1 Dash Vanilla

½ Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon SuperFood Protein Blend

½ Cup Coconut Milk

Here are some interesting articles

YOU CANT BE FAT AND FIT

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/christmas/new-research-finds-you-cant-be-fat-fit-and-healthy/news-story/1a6f576658a99e0a6989139402110447?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=lifestyle


PINEAPPLE.....NOT JUST A GOOD PIZZA TOPPINGS

http://foodmatters.tv/content/16-powerful-reasons-to-eat-pineapple


CHERRIES ARE COOL. OH THEY CANT HELP YOU SLEEP TOO

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2016/03/09/the-health-benefits-of-tart-cherries/


I've got to go to work now .......so

TTFN

IX

Knowledge drop part 2

Here's a couple of films to back up yesterday's post that I found online

 http://youtu.be/u-WsY9xCh18

http://youtu.be/gCVcUQRKZNA

And here's a nice little recipe

http://youtu.be/r4u6ka8QA48

TTFN

I guess its time to drop some knowledge on Ya

I've been posting to my blog now since the Beginning of last November, and I don't wish to run out of Banal nonsense to give to the world.....I feel that I've got so much more to give...

So for this post, there will be no silly photos with extremely tenuous links to the subject matter, no pictures of fluffy animals........to put it bluntly, no silliness.....

Hopefully, you will remember that my previous post was all about seeds and nuts.

I want to tell you about one of those items.

Flax seed, and the different types that you can get,

WHICH IS BETTER?

Flaxseed can be bought as whole seeds, as flaxseed meal, and as flaxseed oil. Mostly available in health-food stores, it can also be found in stores selling supplements.

You Also can buy it in most of the big British supermarkets (I don't know about supermarkets in other countries), due to its rise in health claims, flax is now available in cereals, baked goods, and other processed foods. I have recently seen it as an addition to salads in my local restaurant.

How to choose the best flaxseed

If you buy the whole seeds from a health-food store, it's probably best to give them a quick sniff to make sure they have not turned rancid. Gone-Off flaxseeds will smell like oil paint and I haven't eaten paint since

Pre-School.

Ground flaxseed, with its increased surface area, is much more prone to rancidity than the whole seeds. It’s best to buy whole seeds and grind them at home, if you have the time and opportunity.

Flaxseed oil easily turns rancid. Therefore, you should buy oil that comes in an opaque bottle and from a store that keeps their flaxseed oil refrigerated.

How to store flaxseed

Transfer whole seeds to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. The whole seeds should keep well for up to a year. Grind only as much as you need at one time. If you have leftover ground flaxseed, freeze in a sealed container for up to six months.

If you do buy the pre-ground meal, store it in the freezer. Sniff the meal before using it. Store flaxseed oil in the refrigerator. If the oil goes rancid, discard it.

You can now buy it ready-milled in air-tight, re-sealable pouches. I usually keep this refrigerated.

How to use flaxseed

Your body can’t derive any nutritional benefit from flaxseed if you consume the seeds whole. Whole flaxseed passes right through your body, and just makes very costly poops.

So ground (milled) flaxseed is best. You can buy prepared flaxseed meal, but because of its high fat content, the ground seeds can go rancid quickly.

You’re probably better off grinding your own, using a coffee grinder or mini food processor.

KNOWLEDGE HAS NOW BEEN DROPPED

I will be back soon with some inconsequential drivel

OK! YOU WIN! HERE'S A PICTURE OF A FLUFFY SLOTH WITH A DIRTY SMILE

TTFN

Rabbit Food? More like Super-Rabbit food

LEAFY GREENS

All children's lunch-time nemesis.

Its always been impossible to get the little darlings to get these foods down their sweet little gullets. But if you can get at least one of the following items into a nice sweet and fruity smoothie then you might be able to trick them.

These pics will be supported with a link to a web-page about them.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/02February/Pages/spinach-may-boost-muscular-strength.aspx

http://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/health-benefits-of-parsley/

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-swiss-chard.html

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top-10-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Kale.html

ENJOY EATING YOUR GREENS

PLEASE HELP THIS LITTLE GUY IF YOU CAN

https://www.facebook.com/CaringForKian/?fref=ts

PLEASE FOLLOW THE ABOVE LINK TO SEE HIS FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN

Seeds aren't just for sparrows

We all love birds.

Whether they are in the garden on their own.

Gannets diving into the sea.

Majestic Golden eagles killing fluffy bunnies

or starlings murmurating by the million

Obviously, eagles and gannets are known carnivores, however many birds such as sparrows, finches, robins, blackbirds and most garden birds mainly feed on seeds and nuts.

There is a reason for this, as seeds and nuts are so full of goodness and natural energy, and contrary to popular belief, are not bad for you. (unless you are allergic).

THINK ABOUT IT....When did you last see a fat sparrow?

Here is some information about some of the best, that can go to make your smoothie delicious.

If you add nuts, your smoothies will have a lovely creamy and velvety quality

Flax seeds are a miracle ingredient

as are Chia seeds

here is a fluffy bunny nowhere near an eagle.

HOLY CRAP ! Somebody PLEASE take me to the barber

Here is my smoothie for the day

BERRY NUTTY MONSTER

Ingredients

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup black grapes

1 Medium banana

1 Tblsp chia seeds

1 Tblsp flax seed

1 Tblsp natural peanut butter

I tblsp on dairy yoghurt

top up with coconut water.

Here's what it looks like. (I tried to take an arty farty photo)

TTFN

one of my favourite websites

Just another quickie. This is one of my favourite websites



http://foodmatters.tv/content/what-is-the-definition-of-wellness

curry CAN be good for you

I have often told you how much I love a curry. The biggest problem with Indian food is that it is made with a very fattening type of butter that is called Ghee. If you make your curry with olive oil instead of Ghee, you can enjoy a healthy and deliciously spicy meal.

Here are some of the health benefits of the spices that are used in Indian cuisine.

Please note that Coriander is also known as cilantro.

Oh and here's a picture of a fluffy animal (for no particular reason)

A few great pics I've found on the web

And who doesn't love a cute fluffy animal

Just don't try to put him in a smoothie. 

That's not cool