Tag: skin

A Choc-Orange Slice recipe

Today I’m sharing another recipe, this time featuring Oranges.

At this time of the year our orange trees are full of fruit and I like to find different ways of using it.

What I like about this recipe is that it uses the whole fruit and nothing is wasted. You get every bit of nutrition out of the fruit.

I have previously written about the health benefits of Oranges, of which there are many.

As is usually the way with many fruits, eating an orange is healthier than just drinking the juice. With this recipe, you eat the peel as well, which actually contains higher amounts of some nutrients than the flesh.

This slice is wheat free and almost dairy free (the eggs) and tastes amazing when served a little warm with cream or yoghurt.

 Choc-Orange Slice

Makes 16 pieces

 Ingredients

2 whole organic oranges (about 400gm weight)

4 large eggs

100 gms desiccated coconut

75 gms almond meal

100 gms rapadura sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup (or rice malt syrup)

3 tbsp cacao

2 tsp bi carb soda (or baking powder)

 Method

  • Wash oranges and put them in a large saucepan, covering them with water. (Put a small plate on top of the oranges to stop them floating.)
  • Bring to boil, and then simmer for approximately 40 minutes till the skins have softened.
  • Take the oranges from the water, cut them into quarters and allow to cool.
  • Remove any pips and place the pieces into a food processor.
  • Process till you have a smooth pulp.
  • Add the eggs and maple syrup processing till just mixed.
  • Add the dry ingredients and process till combined.
  • Pour the mixture into a prepared 20 x 20 cm tin and bake at 180* for approx. 1 hr until firm to the touch.
  • Allow the slice to cool a while before removing it from the tin and cutting into squares.

** Variations **

  • If you have a nut allergy you can swap out the almond meal for more coconut.
  • If you don’t want the chocolate, just leave it out.

A bit about Orange peel

Although orange peels are edible, they are not nearly as sweet or as juicy as the pulp.

It may surprise you that the skins have about four times more health benefits than the actual orange fruit that we eat.

Orange peel actually has more fibre than the fruit inside. The pith of the orange — the white part between the skin and fruit — can be sour or bitter but actually contains just as much vitamin C as the fruit itself.

The orange peel contains flavonoids and other phyto-chemicals that are highly beneficial for our health. Flavonoids are antioxidant compounds that help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and heart diseases.

Orange peels contain several B vitamins, vitamins A and C. In addition, the peel contains considerable amounts of copper, calcium and magnesium.

(Sources:  www.livescience.com, www.manipalhospitals.com, www.articles.mercola.com)

Also keep in mind, that unless you’re eating peel from an organic orange, it could be covered in chemicals.

I hope you enjoy this slice as much as we do.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Is Colloidal Silver good or bad for us?

Todays post is about Colloidal Silver.

Recently a colleague and I were discussing the use of colloidal silver for health. I realised that I had not come across any health related articles on this product, so I have done some research.

There are very few medical articles written about health benefits of colloidal silver. I was unable to find any published scientific studies advocating the ingestion of colloidal silver as a health remedy. Most scientific or medical articles I found did not support the use of this substance.

(Sources – www.healthline.com, www.webmd.com, www.tga.gov.au, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

In fact the Australian Food and Drug Administration have issued a warning in regards to colloidal silver.

“There are no products containing colloidal silver approved for marketing in Australia. With the exception of registered topical silver preparations, there is no evidence to support the safety or efficacy of silver regardless of its form or method of manufacture. In addition, silver has no known nutritional benefit and its well-defined toxicity can occur with all forms of the metal, including silver salts and colloids…… Patients seeking information on claimed benefits of colloidal silver should be advised of the lack of evidence for therapeutic benefit and the potential for toxicity associated with colloidal silver preparations.”

So what is it?

Colloidal silver is the term used to describe tiny particles of silver suspended in a liquid. The size of the silver particles in the liquid can vary; some are so tiny that they are referred to as “nanoparticles.” The solution can be found in various strengths, depending on how much silver it contains.

Before modern antibiotics were developed, it was used as an all-purpose remedy for various infections and illnesses.

Recently, it has experienced a revival in popularity. Those who use colloidal silver take it as a dietary supplement or apply it directly to their skin.

How is it meant to work?

It’s unknown exactly how colloidal silver works. However, research suggests that it attaches to proteins on the cell walls of bacteria, damaging their cell membranes.

Silver ions are released from the silver particles when they come into contact with moisture. They are considered to be the “biologically active” part of colloidal silver that gives it its medicinal properties.

 What are the side effects?

All of us are environmentally exposed to extremely small amounts of silver every day. It’s present in very tiny amounts in drinking water, the food supply and even the air we breathe. The amount in the environment is considered to be quite safe.

The environmental and health risks of silver nanoparticles are not well understood, given that nanoparticles are able to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Ingesting colloidal silver is generally considered unsafe, possibly leading to a condition known as argyria.

Argyria (ahr-JIR-e-uh) presents as a blue-grey discolouration of the skin, eyes, nails and gums. Argyria doesn’t usually pose a serious health problem. However, it doesn’t go away when you stop taking silver products.

You are most at risk of developing argyria if you’re regularly ingesting silver or work in a job that exposes you to large amounts of silver.

It’s not clear how much silver may be harmful, but it can build up in your body’s tissues over months or years. Soluble silver compounds are also capable of accumulating in small amounts in the brain and in muscles

Rarely, excessive doses of colloidal silver can cause possibly irreversible serious health problems. These include kidney damage and neurological problems such as seizures.

Applying colloidal silver to your skin is considered less risky than ingesting it.

There are however, TGA approved therapeutic goods containing presentations of silver that remain appropriate, for example, topical silver nitrate for neonatal conjunctivitis or silver sulfadiazine for burns.

Well, I hope that helps anyone who was thinking about using colloidal silver for any health concerns. It is certainly not something that we would consider using without seeking professional advice.

 Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Good skin starts with our diet.

Today I’m writing about diet and the skin. Our skin is the human bodies largest organ.

Many people spend thousands of dollars trying to preserve it, especially on their face. However, few people consider that our diet shows on our face.

Beautiful skin starts with nourishment from within.

There are hundreds of steps involved in the cycle of skin renewal, of which the foods we eat are components. The body, skin included, is constantly under construction and it uses vitamins and nutrients from food to repair and rebuild, Older cells are constantly shed and replaced by younger ones and a steady supply of key nutrients is essential to support this rapid growth. Eating the correct balance of foods feeds our skin the vital nutrients it needs to help it stay soft, supple and blemish-free.

That said, as much as we may try to resist it, our skin does naturally age. Wrinkles and age spots are the inevitable result of time, but this ageing may be sped up by overexposure to the sun, strong soaps and chemicals, as well as poor nutrition. Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking both also age the skin.

 Start with simple changes.

By eating a variety of antioxidant-rich, fresh fruit and vegetables, healthy fats from oily fish and nuts, and a varied, balanced diet. This should give optimal levels of the nutrients that are crucial for radiant skin, including beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc and selenium.

Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to protect skin from the cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals along with smoking, pollution and sunlight, can cause wrinkling and age spots. Beta-carotene, found in carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin, and lutein, found in kale, papaya and spinach are potent antioxidants, important for normal skin cell development and healthy tone.

 Just add water

Skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Even mild dehydration will cause it to look dry, tired and slightly grey. Water helps hydrate your body and leads to plump, healthy skin. Adequate hydration helps flush out toxins that can cause skin problems. It is also essential for skin metabolism and regeneration.

Drink plenty of water each day – all fluids count towards our daily allowance, but water is the best. We have all heard of the recommended 6 to 8 glasses a day. However, there is a simple scientific formula to work out how much water you need. Your weight in kilograms x .03 = daily requirement of water (e.g.; 60 x .03 = 1.8 litres).

Herbal, caffeine-free teas are good too. Some fruit and vegetables, such as watermelon and cucumber, also contribute fluids – the added benefit is that the minerals they contain will increase the rate you hydrate your body and skin.

Overall, promoting healthy skin with diet is all about adopting good nutritional habits.

So, while the Christmas season is a time of celebration with friends and family, it is also a time of food and drink. In order to put your best face forward for the new year, try to make good food choices.

Drink lots of water to counter act the effects of alcohol and remember to laugh.

To all my readers, thank you for your support and have a Merry Christmas.

I hope all my subscribers enjoy their Christmas recipe.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

(Sources – www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.  www.webmd.com.  www.bbcgoodfood.com