Health Blog

Year of Quinoa

05/17/2013 12:28:00

This year, 2013 has been named the

"Year of Quinoa" by United Nations General Assembly, so let’s find out why it is so special.

Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is a tiny, bead shaped grain with a bitter flavour. It is gluten free so is suitable for anyone with a gluten intolerance or conditions such as crohn’s or colitis.

And to add even more information for you, here are 5 reasons to use this super food.

1 – It fuels your body: cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein per cup. It is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids that your body needs. It will give you energy for the gym and to get you through a long day at work.

2 – It helps your digestion: 1 cup of quinoa gives you 5 grams of fibre. This will help with your digestion, lower your cholesterol levels, control your blood sugars and will help to maintain your healthy weight.

3 – It’s a multivitamin: it is an amazing source of Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Folate, Vitamin E, Manganese, Phosphorus, Copper, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, Selenium and Zinc.

4 – It’s a good carbohydrate: because of its high protein and high fibre content quinoa is better for you than other grains. Its sugars are slower to be absorbed by the body. It also only has 222 calories per cup.

5 – It’s versatile It’s not just something to add to a salad. You can use it as an accompaniment to curry or chilli, mould it into a burger with herbs and spices, make sushi with it, or have it for breakfast instead of oats as porridge.

So, give this little grain a whirl and try it today!

Could your favourite tipple be causing your symptoms?

05/06/2013 13:22:00

What do you think when you look at this picture? Are you already looking forward to your alcoholic drink later today? Unsurprisingly there will be some people who have different reactions. Many people don't drink because they simply don't like it or have had a bad experience with it. Yet some people know that alcohol can cause them problems due to an alcohol intolerance which can cause immediate, unpleasant reactions.

The most common signs and symptoms of alcohol intolerance are a stuffy nose and skin flushing. In some cases, what may seem to be alcohol intolerance is caused by a reaction to something else in an alcoholic beverage — such as chemicals, grains or preservatives. In other cases, reactions are caused by combining alcohol with certain medications. Depending on the cause, complications of alcohol intolerance or other reactions to alcoholic beverages can include: headache or migraine, low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting.

In our testing department we test for the sources of alcoholic beverages; grapes for wine, barley, corn, rye and potato for vodka and barley, hops and yeast for beers, ales and lagers. You can also send us a sample of your favourite drink to be tested as part of your five free extra samples. So next time you reach for your favourite tipple, just think about what goes into it and what signs to look for!

The Power of Silica

04/22/2013 10:38:00

Ever wanted to be beautiful without piling make-up on your face?

Here is a little know secret: Silica – also known as the beauty mineral. It is a trace element that benefits the healthy growth of bones, nails, hair and skin.

Silica naturally is a member of the quartz family. In the body it is a stabilizer for calcium and magnesium, which helps to maintain hormone balance. It also helps to maintain stability in body tissues, membranes and arterial walls. Your body needs silica to form collagen (this is the beauty bit) which is the protein responsible for keeping your skin smooth and unwrinkled.

Sources of Silica are Celery, Cucumber, Tomato, Carrots, Beetroot, Peppers, Green Beans, Leeks, Chickpeas and Strawberries – just think of the salad you can make with all of these as the ingredients.

As you can see, it is so easy to keep the Silica levels high in your body and it is much cheaper than many of the so-called ‘anti aging’ creams available on the market.

An Apple a Day

02/12/2013 16:10:00

So why are apples good for us?

Apples are rich in vitamins and minerals and contain Vitamin A, C and Folate, Vitamins E, B1, B2, and B6. They are also rich in Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Chromium, Selenium, Iron, Manganese, Copper, Zinc and Sulphur.
They help to eliminate toxins from the body.
The soluble fibre in apples – Pectin – not only helps to soothe and clean the colon but helps to lower bad levels of cholesterol by blocking it from being absorbed by the body.
They also contain Quercetin (a bio-flavonoid) which is a natural anti-histamine and has been linked to better lung function and a reduction in asthma symptoms.
They are low in calories, so are a healthy snack between meals. · They are high in potassium which helps control blood pressure, so can help reduce the risk of a stroke.
It is believed that a flavanoid found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density.

Hopefully, you can now see why the old saying is actually true – an apple a day really can keep the doctor away.

DID YOU KNOW?

Apples are a member of the rose family
There are 7500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world.
The game of apple-bobbing began as a Celtic New Year’s tradition for trying to determine one’s future spouse.
25 percent of an apple’s volume is air. That is why they float.
Apples are fat, sodium and cholesterol free.
Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were in the fridge.

The Benefit of Beans

01/23/2013 14:01:00

There are many different types of beans on the market and you can now buy them dried or pre-cooked for your convenience. They are not only a great source of protein but also a great source of fibre – depending on the type you can get anything between 5-9 grams of fibre per 100g serving.

So why else are beans

good for us?

Beans are not entirely digested, so the colon sends a message to the liver to tell it to cut production of cholesterol. This then speeds up the blood allowing the body to clear out the LDL Cholesterol. Fibre can also act as a mop for cholesterol soaking it up and carrying it out of the body as waste which is good for your heart.

Beans are a carrier of protease inhibitors; these are enzymes, which counteract the activation of cancer causing compounds in the colon.

Beans can help to lower blood pressure and can improve blood glucose levels which mean they are great for diabetics.

Beans contain Isoflavones which is similar to oestrogen – this means they are great for those suffering with menopause symptoms.

The calcium in beans means they are good for helping towards healthy bones.

The rich coloured beans offer a great source of anti-oxidant protection.

Did you know: Red kidney beans have more

antioxidants than blueberries!

Why do beans give you gas?

When you eat a bean it is not completely digested, there is a type of fibre called Oligosaccharides, this is made up of 3 or 5 sugar molecules bonded together in a way that the body cannot digest or absorb them. So when the undigested fibre is passed into the intestines the bacteria in there starts to break up the bonded molecules – this then produces gas!

Easy Mustard beans Recipe

1 jar of beans – rinse them well.

Put them into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon of Wholegrain mustard and gently stir them to coat them in the mustard.

Simple, delicious and nutricious - Enjoy!

The Simple Onion

01/09/2013 16:57:00

Love them or hate them the is full of

wonderful nutrients.

They have anti bacterial anti viral properties.

They are great for helping reduce cholesterol in the body.

They contain, quercetin, biotin, chromium, folic acid, vitamin C, B1, B6 and K, sulphur magnesium phosphorus selenium potassium and bio flavonoids.

They also help to remove heavy metal toxicity in the body.

And for diabetics it’s the chromium in onions that helps to regulate blood sugars.

Onions were used in hospitals in the 1920’s to reduce infections and flu. There were cut in half and put at the side of the beds – the onion then absorbs all the virus’s etc. (it is said if they took the onion and put it under a microscope they could find the flu virus in the onion!)

Because onions absorb bacteria, you should never leave chopped onion sitting out in the open for long as it will start to absorb the baddies and you may end up with a grumbly tummy. So never be tempted to keep half an onion for the next day, it is actually safer to cook it and store it or just throw it away. It is said that when there is an outbreak of food poisoning, the authorities don’t worry about things like mayonnaise – they look at onion first.

A great recipe for a home made cough syrup - cut an onion into fine slices, put in a pan and warm gently, cover with honey and water, you can add a clove of garlic if you want, continue to warm slowly till the onion is soft. Then strain the liquid with a sieve to remove the onion and put the liquid into a jar in the fridge – use a teaspoon at a time when you need it.

New Year, New You

01/02/2013 14:03:00

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Setting ourselves resolutions is always a bit of fun, but don’t set yourself up for failure!

How many people have said that this is the year they are going to get fit or to lose weight? Having general goals like this means you are more likely to fail than succeed. Try and make your goals more realistic, e.g. I am going to go to the gym once a week or I am going to walk for 20 minutes a day. When you actually make a specific plan then you are more than likely going to stick to it. Try and get an exercise buddy, someone who has a goal similar to yours, so on those cold wintry nights you can boost each other’s enthusiasm to get on with it.

Try and list your goals for the year and don’t limit yourself because of time or money – this is just a list and you may surprise yourself! Try and think of various things that you would like to do, be as adventurous as you can. Who knows, by the end of the year, maybe you will finally have completed your dream to go scuba diving or simply just had the courage to go out and meet new people. Try and group your goals together, so have all the fitness and food ones together and then your social ones as a separate entity. Maybe try and do a new one for each month – just remember to keep it fun and light hearted and scheduled into your week. Therefore there is no room for excuses. Note it in your diary like you would a business meeting or a dentist appointment and keep this time as important for you. If after a month or so there is something you aren’t enjoying then don’t be afraid to change it for something else, after all candle making isn’t for everyone! Good luck everyone, why not let us know what your resolutions are for 2013?

Food Allergy versus Food Intolerance

12/13/2012 12:42:00

Around one or two people out of every 100 in the UK have a food allergy, but many more people have food intolerances.

Here at “test your intolerance” we do just that – we test for intolerances. Yet many people seem to be confused between the terms “intolerance” and “allergy”, so here is a brief explanation to separate the two.

What is a food intolerance?

Food intolerances are much more common than food allergies. The symptoms of food intolerances tend to come on more slowly, often many hours after eating the problem food. Typical symptoms include bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and constipation. It’s possible to be intolerant to several different foods at once and this can make it difficult to identify which foods are causing the problem. The best way to solve this is to keep a food journal detailing what you have eaten and subsequently what symptoms you have had. By doing this for a few weeks you will be able to remove any offending items from your diet.

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy is a rapid and potentially dangerous response to a food by your immune system. It can trigger classic allergy symptoms such as a rash, wheezing and itching. The most common food allergies among adults are fish, shellfish and nuts – including peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and brazil nuts. Children often have allergies to milk and eggs as well as to peanuts, other nuts and fish. Children can sometimes grow out of a milk allergy by the age of three but an allergy is usually a lifelong affliction that can only be controlled by removing this item you’re your diet.

Nuts!

11/26/2012 11:59:00

So we all know Christmas is just around the corner, the supermarkets have been ready since August, and the Coca Cola advert has begun.I know in my family, Christmas was never complete without a big bowl of nuts – and we used to sit watching the Christmas Movie with the nut cracker in hand munching on the walnuts and brazils.Today it’s much easier to get a nut fix – nip to Julian Graves and buy a bag of them ready shelled and there you go – an instant snack.But you have to remember that nuts have shells on them for a reason. The actual nut is a precious cargo of nutrition and calories, squirrels spend their winter eating the nuts they have managed to collect and the only reason the nut lasts through the winter is the hard shell that protects it. For those of us who are old enough to remember the days of nutcrackers we can remember the hand strain that you got after only half a dozen nuts (especially walnuts)So what is in a nut ?Let’s give you the break down. The figures I am going to give you are for 1oz of nuts or 28g, which normally equates to 1 handful.

Almonds – 1oz = 22nuts (roughly) – this will give you 163 calories, 6g of protein and 3.5g fibre
Brazil nuts – 1oz = 10 nuts (roughly) – this will give you 186 calories, 4g protein and 2g fibre
Cashews – 10z = 24 nuts (roughly) – this will give you 157 calories, 5g protein and .9g fibre

So you can see they give a great hit of protein and fibre but you have to remember that they have a high calorie content, so here are some of them in order of their calorie density, starting with the highest calories first: -

Macadamia
Pecan
Pine nuts
Brazil nuts
Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Almonds
Pistachio
Peanuts
Cashews

So, this Christmas while you are sitting there munching away on the nuts – just remember for every handful you have to do at least a 2 mile brisk walk to burn off the calories.Nuts are good for you – BUT as always, be aware of the amount that you are eating and realize that you have to work off the calories afterwards.

The Cabbage

11/18/2012 08:43:00

Cabbage is an amazing vegetable. Full of vitamin C, rich in fibre, iodine, Vitamin A, beta-carotene, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and sodium.
There was a study carried out in the 1950’s where patients with gastric ulcers and acid reflux were given a glass of cabbage juice every day – within 3 days 95% of the patients said that their symptoms had stopped or were greatly reduced. Cabbage juice has the anti-ulcer Vitamin U in it. So if you know anyone with gastric problems its cabbage they should be having not antacid tablets.
The trick to keep your cabbage tasty – don’t over cook it, if you are going to boil it, make sure it's just al dente when you take it out of the water and it still has a little bit of crunch to it. Or you can eat cabbage raw – it is delicious finely sliced in a salad, or make a very simple coleslaw using red and green cabbage finely sliced, add some onion and a little bit of finely chopped parsley, and instead of the usual mayonnaise you can use a small tub of soya yogurt as the binder, mix it with your hands and you have a bowl of goodness ready to snack on.
Other benefits of cabbage include:

Cabbage can help lower your risk of bowel cancer.
It helps with constipation.
It has anti bacterial and anti viral propertie.
It reduces cholesterol.
And helps to reduce free radicals in the body.

You see you never knew that green ball of leaves sitting on the shelf in the supermarket is in fact a power packed bundle of nutrition ready to help your body to heal. So what can you do with cabbage today?