Tag: antioxidants

Boosting the Immune System

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about ‘Man Flu’ because Scott was suffering from a cold.

He generously shared it with me, despite my efforts to keep it at bay. However, even though we both became sick, we were feeling unwell for a very short time.

We did not take any of the usual cold and flu medications, as these suppress the symptoms and the body takes longer to heal itself. We did however have some ‘immune shots’ that Scott created, that we drank 3 times a day.

These ‘shots’ consisted of – Echiberry 10ml, Natural Mineral drink by Modere 10ml, Green Qi super green powder by Modere 1 tsp, ground Cinnamon ½ tsp & ground Ginger ½ tsp mixed with approximately 20ml water.

They did taste a bit unpleasant, but most ‘medicine’ does. Scott stated that these shots helped our immune system fight the virus. So, after only spending 2 days sick, I think they really did work. I decided to share with you why these ingredients help us when we are sick.

First the Echiberry, which I purchased from our local health food store.

This liquid combines Echinacea purpurea root extract, Elderberry, Olive leaf extract, NZ Blackcurrant and Manuka Honey.

*Clinical trials have shown Echinacea to be useful in both preventing as well as treating bacterial and viral infections including colds and flu.

*Elderberry is highly regarded by herbalists for the treatment of winter ailments, particularly where there is fever, aches and pains.

*Olive leaf extract has been shown to inhibit a number of bacteria and viruses. It is widely used as a tonic for the immune system.

*NZ Blackcurrants are one of the most potent antioxidant-containing berries in the world. Research has shown the anthocyanins (antioxidant compounds found in blackcurrants) can help reduce the effects of asthmatic lung inflammation.

*Manuka Honey is unique to New Zealand and has a powerful additional antiseptic property not found in other types of honey.

Next is the Natural Mineral drink by Modere

This drink contains Alpine moor mineral extract, which is abundant in plant derived phytonutrients and minerals. Among the benefits of phytonutrients are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Phytonutrients may also enhance immunity and intercellular communication.

Then the Green Qi super green powder by Modere

A green powder supplement contains all the vitamins and minerals of a multi vitamin. There is also added nutrients such as probiotics, prebiotics, detoxification nutrients and disease-protective antioxidants.

Followed by Cinnamon

Cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower the risk of disease. Cinnamaldehyde, the main active component of cinnamon has antifungal and antibacterial properties, which may reduce infections.

Finally the Ginger

Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional/alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few. Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

So, in conclusion, all of the ingredients in these ‘immune shots’ assist the immune system. By taking the mixture 3 times a day, we were ensuring that our immune systems were continually fuelled with what they needed to fight the infection.

The result being that we able to get well sooner.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

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Getting a good nights’ Sleep

Today I’m going to write about sleep. Scott has had issues with getting to sleep. So we have been doing some research into sleep. 

One common factor that kept coming up was the development of Sleep hygiene or Sleep habits. Good sleep habits are often referred to as good sleep hygiene.

There are many things that can be done to improve sleep. While most of these are common sense, life is very busy and we often don’t think about them. According to research, there are many things that can be done to have a better night’s sleep.

Sleep habits to consider –
  • Getting sunlight during the day will help you to sleep better at night
  • Try to keep a consistent bedtime. The body has an internal clock and hormones that control sleepiness and wakefulness.
  • Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a day. This stays the same even in old age.
  • Limit Naps. Remember that the average adult sleeps for between seven and nine hours a day. Naps will take up some of this time. But if you are taking short afternoon naps without any problems, then you might want to keep doing this. On the other hand, naps in the evening, or dozing in front of the TV, can make it harder to get to sleep at night.
  • Meals should be timed to avoid going to bed on a full stomach, but not hungry either. The evening meal should be at least 2 hours before bedtime. Alcohol might help you get to sleep, but it will make it harder to stay asleep. It makes sleep problems like snoring and sleep apnoea worse as well.
  • Don’t have things in the bedroom that distract you from sleep, like televisions and computers. The blue light of the computer can reduce evening levels of the sleep-promoting hormone, melatonin.  (www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au)

After talking to some lecturers at college, Scott bought some Lavender & Chamomile tea, which he now has before going to bed. It has been quite effective. I have found some information to explain why it works.

Lavender & Chamomile

Lavender is often used to help people sleep. Brewing a few lavender flowers in hot water to make a tea, has been used to induce sleep and relaxation for thousands of years. This is closely linked to the flower’s impact on the nervous system, and can also help to clear your mind of negative thoughts or clutter. The antioxidant components of lavender can also impact the endocrine system of the body to lower the levels of stress hormones in the body. 

Chamomile is another herb well known for its calming effect. It has many health benefits and uses, including the ability to lower stress levels and aid sleep.

This beverage can help increase the levels of serotonin and melatonin in your body, which can successfully eliminate stress and worry, while also slowing down your mind and eliminating the classic symptoms of anxiety. Therefore it can also be an overall sleep aid, particularly for people who struggle with restless, non-restful or rejuvenating sleep. 

Even those struggling with sleep apnoea and other disorders may benefit from the effects of chamomile tea. (www.organicfacts.net)

Till the next post, Sleep well, 

Live Clean n Prosper 

About Turmeric

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Hi all,

So this is week 11 of my blog.

I have received some positive feedback regarding my content, which is awesome. Keep the comments coming. I’m glad that you are enjoying my posts and maybe learning something new along the way, just as I am.

Melbourne treasures

Recently we went to Melbourne for a long weekend to visit friends. We were lucky enough to have great weather, so we were able to spend a lot of our time walking around. We averaged approximately 8 kilometres a day, exploring all of the laneways.

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A visit to the Queen Victoria Markets Deli Hall resulted in a stop at an amazing little spice shop. We purchased some Turmeric Latte mix, a Vanilla Chai tea mix and some Vintage Merlot Salt.

I quite like the Vanilla Chia tea, though Scott is not a fan. That leaves more for me.

The Merlot salt is bright pink/purple and can be used in a number of ways. The store assistant advised that it can even be sprinkled on vanilla ice-cream! We are looking forward to trying that. I did however make a block of Raw Chocolate and sprinkled the Merlot Salt on the mix instead of nuts or fruit. It turned out to be quite a nice Dark Salted Chocolate.

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The Turmeric latte was interesting, I think I will have to get used to drinking it. Turmeric is in the health news a bit lately, however it has been used for centuries for reducing inflammation.

A bit about Turmeric

Recently, science has started to back up what the Eastern cultures have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties. These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. However, research has shown that the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s only around 3%.

Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

Actually, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream; however there are ways to improve this situation. It is fat soluble, so it is best to consume it with some healthy fats as this will increase the absorption. Add to this some black pepper, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%.

Chronic inflammation is known to be a contributor to many common Western diseases. Curcumin can inhibit many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation. It turns out that the anti-inflammatory effect is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs.

Given that oxidation and inflammation are believed to play a role in aging, curcumin may have effects that go way beyond just prevention of disease. (Source -authoritynutrition.com)

There you are, it seems that more Turmeric in your diet, however you get it, will be beneficial.

So, until the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

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