Are you an IBS sufferer?

I didn't know, until I was in my 20's, that I actually had IBS. I'd been going to doctors for several years by that stage and the doctor couldn't really pinpoint what was wrong with me. He prescribed things like imodium, buscopan and some vile orange goop called fybrogel which I would do anything to get out of taking.

Symptoms of IBS can vary from person to person and can be tough to diagnose if you aren't familiar with it. Because IBS is mostly related to food intolerances and stress, doctors often misdiagnose it, call it a stomach bug and prescribe medications to alleviate the symptoms, but not the cause. Isn't that usually the way with doctors though? Most of them believe in curing the symptoms rather than actually getting to the root of the problem and fixing that. Medicine is a big business these days and doctors are booking appointments just 15mins apart to try and increase their intake of patients AND their intake of money. Very few of them charge medical aid rates anymore and even fewer will sit and get a comprehensive history of your problems, to try and work out the reason for them. Food intolerances are not even considered because food is not seen as a cure or a cause for anything.

My domestic is actually the reason I decided to post on this. I am convinced that she has IBS. She is permanently afflicted with severe stomach pains, diarrhea and constipation. She's not shy to talk about it either;)

This morning I walked into the bedroom to find her doubled over in pain on the floor. She asked me for painkillers and, of course, I had none! I don't take them so I don't even buy them. The best I could do was give her a beanbag, warmed in the microwave, to help soothe the pain, and I told her to lie down until it passed. It eventually does. But it's hell while it's happening. I'm so familiar with those pains. It's like someone has stuck a knife in your intestines, then gripped both knife and intestines, and squeezed and twisted. I remember times, when I was younger, running, screaming from one room to the next and crouching on the floor, to try and escape the pain. Nothing ever really worked but waiting it out.

The root of the pain is a spastic colon (which I think is a terrible name, personally! I just hate the word spastic) and this means that the muscles in your colon are contracting and twisting out of control. The cause of it is still not entirely known but some researchers believe it is caused by changes in the nerve structure while others believe it's caused by changes in the central nervous system. Because women suffer more from IBS than men do, others believe it may be hormonal changes causing it. Whatever causes it, I DO know what triggers it, for me, and for most people.

The two main triggers are food and stress. When I was told, by a homeopath, that I had IBS, he advised me to begin eliminating certain foods from my diet, and then gradually reintroduce them, to work out which ones were aggravating my IBS. The main culprits, for most people, are wheat and gluten, dairy and sugar, but I'd also noticed that red meat was a trigger food for me. Whenever I ate it, within minutes I would be running for the bathroom. So I started with wheat, gluten, red meat and dairy. Sugar is tough to cut out and I was VERY new to the whole food journey so I didn't even know how to start that. Sugar is in EVERYTHING.

As it turns out, so is wheat, gluten and dairy! I cut out the main things like bread, pasta, milk and cream and then all the red meat too and I felt an IMMEDIATE improvement. It wasn't easy. These days you can buy so many things that are grain-free and dairy free, and restaurants cater to every kind of eater, so there is always chicken and fish available. 20 years ago, it was impossible to find anything gluten-free, never mind grain-free and most restaurants had very little chicken and fish options. It's amazing how much has changed in that time and I'm extremely thankful for that!

Something that was less easy to cut out of my life, was stress. I am a naturally highly strung person. Things get to me far more than they do to most people. I'm a sensitive soul, what can I say;) My body doesn't handle it very well and the stress affects my digestive system, directly. I can be eating all the right foods. But the moment something happens that gets my adrenalin up, the pain hits. It's crazy, and frustrating.

I've tried yoga but, honestly, it didn't help in the long term, only in that moment that I was doing it. Even holidays don't really do it unless it's the kind of holiday where I don't have to prepare, and pack food for a week or so. Preferably I need a holiday where all I need to pack is my costume and the rest is taken care of. I'm a perfectionist which means, whatever I do, it has to be done PERFECTLY, or not at all. I create my own stress, I know. It's a constant battle to try and remind myself that no-one can be perfect. Lord knows, I am fully aware of my shortcomings! But that doesn't stop me from always trying to do things perfectly. I push myself hard, putting my body through huge stress, and, when I fail, which you inevitably do, my body goes through huge stress again. The result? Bedridden with stomach problems and MORE stress because I am annoyed with myself for getting into this position! Can anyone say, "vicious cycle;)"

So! I can't help you out with the stress, clearly;) But, for most people, it's a food thing and that CAN be controlled quite easily these days. If your life is a rollercoaster of diarrhea, constipation, intense pains in your colon, bloatedness, heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux, there is a very good chance that you have IBS.

In the last 2 years I can honestly say that my IBS is pretty much gone. So what changed for me? I had a COMPLETE overhaul of my diet and lifestyle. I went organic, free-range and chemical-free. Over the years I have cut out several things, and they helped for a time, but my IBS symptoms would eventually come back. Why? Because, as I said, wheat, gluten and sugar are in pretty much everything that is processed. Until I understood that that stuff wasn't actually food, and cut out EVERYTHING that wasn't real food, my body would continue to get a build up of all the toxins that it didn't know how to handle, and my symptoms would return.

When I met GLM, I was PERMANENTLY on de-activated charcoal. In case you don't know what that is, it's something often given to people who overdose, or eat something they shouldn't have, like poison. It's really good at trapping chemicals and preventing their absorption. It does wonders for someone with IBS who is trying to avoid chemicals and foods that cause problems when they are absorbed. Can you imagine the downside of it? I was eating food that I wasn't supposed to, and then I'd just take a charcoal capsule, and, as a result, my body wasn't getting ANY nutrients at all. My immune system suffered and I got sick, often.

It took me about a year to realise how stupid I was being and I began to research in earnest to figure out the next step. Hence the real food, organic, chemical-free lifestyle we now live. GLM ended up on it by default but, the more I've learnt, the more I see how much it will benefit her as well, to keep her life chemical-free. Why only keep myself healthy and not my wife, whom I adore and plan to spend the rest of my life with?! She has always suffered from an under-active thyroid and that is a direct result of chemicals and GMO's in her diet. She's been fixing it through a homeopath, and diet, and her thyroid is pretty much corrected I'm happy to announce:)

More recently, since January in fact, GLM has started banting. So, naturally, I joined her because cooking is just so much easier if we both eat the same. Cutting out all grains, starches and sugar has done WONDERS for my IBS. I can't even begin to describe it. I feel like a new person! I think I have finally found the lifestyle that suits us both perfectly. She is losing weight and I am feeling normal again!

Now, the ONLY time I suffer with my IBS, is if I veer off the path a bit. It happens. Sometimes we go to someone for dinner and they've unknowingly cooked with garlic or onion. And then, once or twice a year we have a big night.  GLM's birthday was one occasion. Shooters were flowing, (hate those things!!) and I suffered for a week afterwards trying to get my colon back in order. I do these things knowing it will make me suffer, but I take every step to fix things as soon as possible afterwards. Sometimes you have to let go and have some fun;) Given that it happens about twice a year, and that I live a clean life 100% of the time aside from that, it doesn't take me long to get back on track, and I CAN do it knowing it's not a regular thing.

These days I often forget that I have IBS. I've even reintroduced some other meats into my diet like lamb and pork. I've realised, as long as meat comes from animals that are free-range, pasture-fed and healthy, it doesn't affect me. I have a bit of a mental block with beef because it's made me very ill at times. At this stage we only eat other meats at home because there are very few restaurants that offer free-range, organic food and most people don't cook with it. If the meat contains chemicals, and if the animals are fed with grains, it hits me hard, so I don't do it. At those time I'll stick with fish and chicken.

If you suffer from any of the symptoms I listed earlier, those being diarrhea, constipation, intense pains in your colon, bloatedness, heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux, and you want to know how to get rid of them, I CAN tell you that you won't get rid of them through medication. Painkillers will just kill the pain, the cause will remain. You've heard me describe what the pain did to me. It had me screaming. And yet I don't TOUCH a painkiller anymore because I don't need it. Gaviscon will stop heartburn and indigestion, but it won't prevent it from coming back. So if you want to know how I do it, I'll tell you, but you HAVE to be strict with yourself.

• Cut out ALL processed foods. NO exceptions.
• Cut out ALL sugar except things like stevia and raw honey. Don't use xylitol. It totally aggravates IBS.
• Cut out ALL wheat and gluten, preferably all grains.  (A lot of grains contain gluten. Check this list to find out which ones are gluten free if you must eat grains. Make sure they are properly soaked before eating them.)
• Cut out ALL conventional foods and stick ONLY to free-range meat and organic fruit and veggies.
• Cut out cow's dairy (most people with IBS can't digest lactose, which is abundant in cow's dairy) I drink goat's milk which doesn't affect me at all.
• Some things that aggravate IBS symptoms are onions, garlic, peppers, seeds and nuts that aren't soaked properly, and coffee. Swap normal potatoes for sweet potatoes.
• Stop taking antibiotics and conventional medication

Things you should be eating:

• ONLY organic and free range food
• Bone broth:
• Fermented foods
• Raw food with every meal. However, avoid raw carrots and raw spinach and other leaf veggies. Always steam those slightly to aid digestion.
• Lots of organic veggies and limited fruit.
• Good, saturated fats from free-range meat and dairy
• If you enjoy dairy, acquire a taste for goat's dairy. It's easy to find at woolworths and at markets these days. It's got practically no lactose and doesn't affect me at all. If you can find it, buy raw milk. It is so good for you and raw cow's milk doesn't aggravate my IBS at all.

That's how you will cure your IBS. I've actually found it so easy. I have replaced all gluten filled flours with things like coconut flour and almond flour so I still get to eat desserts and breads, but they are healthy and don't affect my IBS at all.  I can honestly say that sacrificing certain foods has been so worth it. I feel normal again simply because I can go to a dinner with friends and not end up being Miss Anti-Social when my stomach gives me grief. It's such a novelty that I can't complain about being deprived of anything. I eat delicious, healthy food and I eat WELL.

Let me know how it goes!

How to boost your immune system, naturally.

It's that time of year when everyone is getting sick. You can't walk into a room without hearing someone coughing and spluttering.  That's winter for you. Yesterday I spoke about colloidal silver benefits for your immune system but I thought I'd talk more generally today about ways to boost your immune system and hopefully avoid the winter sniffles.

A lot of people ask why winter is the season for colds and flu. Our mom's told us that it was the cold weather and made us bundle up like a little eskimo before leaving the house. But, if you know anything about the body, you know that our body temperature is constant, no matter what the weather. Even if the temperature is below freezing, the body will find a way to maintain its core temperature. That means, theoretically, that's it not the cold that makes us sick. So what could it be?

Well, think about what happens in winter. It's cold, so people close doors and windows and they all stay inside. In summer, if you have a gathering at your house, the doors and windows will be wide open and people will be gathering both inside and outside which means any germs will be spread further apart making it less likely that one will latch onto you. The breeze will be clearing the stale air out of the house which also means less of a concentration of germs. In winter, the air doesn't clear at all because everyone is keeping all the warm air in and all doors and windows are closed. Everyone is in a confined space, breathing the same air over and over and touching all the same things over and over and that is why more people get sick in winter.

It's hard to avoid those germs. In fact, I'd say it's impossible. I think I'd rather deal with the germs than having all the doors open and an icy cold breeze blowing through the house, brrrrrrr! That means our best defense is actually our immune system. It doesn't mean you won't get sick at all, although  I know people who never get sick so it IS possible. You'll probably get a little cold for a few days, but it will be manageable and it won't stick around long enough to make you feel too awful, as long as your immune system is fully locked and loaded.

So, how do you do that? There are actually SO many ways and it doesn't hurt to cover as many bases as possible. You can use food, you can use herbs, you can use tissue salts and homeopathic preparations and there are any number of alternative remedies, all there to build your body up and prepare it for the indoor, winter months.

There is no ONE cure for colds and flu. I've lost count of how many times I've been told, "Take lots of Vitamin C!" Here's the thing folks, once you are sick, you are sick. Vitamin C won't cure you. Taking it as a daily supplement might help boost your immune system BUT, if you are not a healthy person, it probably won't and I'll explain why, in a bit. Did you know that your body only needs about 90mg of vitamin c a day? It can't actually absorb a lot at a time so, you may think you are helping things, but all you are doing is peeing out the excess vitamins that your body can't use, wasting money, and putting undue pressure on your kidneys. You'll end up with an upset stomach and you'll STILL be sick. Needless to say, most vitamin c supplements are synthetic and not actually doing you any good anyway because your body can't assimilate the nutrients. You'd do better to eat citrus fruits.

Did you know that your health depends directly on the health of your digestive  tract? If your body is struggling to digest food properly, you are going to get sick more often. You can eat as healthy as you want, but it may not even make a difference. This is why:

• If your digestive system is not functioning properly, your body loses its ability to transform the food you eat, into something that the body can use for fuel. IBS sufferers really struggle here.
• These days, thanks to a diet full of chemicals and processed food, people don't have as many digestive enzymes as they used to. That means our food is not being digested properly. You can tell if its not being digested properly if you are experiencing gas, bloating, belching, muscle pain, skin disorders, insomnia, constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn. 
• If your digestive system is weak, it will literally "steal" enzymes from your immune system to digest food. That leaves your immune system compromised and raises the toxic load of your body.
• People also have less good bacteria in their colons thanks to taking too many antiobiotics, and eating dead, processed food and this will also lead to poor digestion of food, which will leave your body, literally, starved of nutrients and vulnerable to sickness.

How can you improve your digestive system? By eating the right kind of foods:

• Eat ONLY organic and free range food: If you follow the link you'll have a better understanding of what processed, chemical-laden food is actually doing to your body. I promise it's not doing anything good. Everything you eat supplies the building blocks for your cells. If you supply your body with junk, it will respond by building you from junk. Cells built out of junk are going to be so busy just trying to survive that fighting off a virus won't even enter the equation and you WILL get sick, badly, and often.  Give your cells the juice needed to be strong and to function correctly, and they will respond by keeping you fit and healthy. That's a guarantee. Read this post to see which veggies are cleaner than others if you can't afford to stick to organic but TRY eat organic, they contain far more nutrients. DON'T compromise with meat, ever. Pick n Pay free range chicken is not expensive and your health is worth the extra few rands. You'll spend more on a doctor, I assure you!
• Bone broth: If you read the post I have linked to there, you'll know what bone broth is, and how to make it AND why it's so good for you. Just to recap though, bone broth is extremely nutritious. It improves digestion, allergies, immune health and brain health to name a few. 
• Fermented foods: Follow the link to learn more about fermented foods and why they are so good for you. The most important thing about fermented foods is that they put all the good bacteria into your colon, and THAT guarantees you good digestive health. Yogurt is a really good fermented food, and so easy to make. Don't buy the processed rubbish you find at a grocery store. Read the link and make your own. It's so easy, and SO good for you.
• Eat raw wherever possible:  I'm not a raw foodist. I'm a real foodist. That means I believe the body needs a combination of raw AND cooked foods. But I DO believe in eating something raw with every meal. I'm not just talking raw fruit and vegetables, although a morning smoothie full of them will supply most of your daily requirements vitamin and mineral-wise. I also mean raw, full cream dairy. Pasteurised, fat-free dairy is essentially DEAD food and really not good for you at all. Raw milk is full of all the good enzymes your digestive system needs. Don't deprive it of them.
• Liver: I'm putting this separately because THIS is a superfood of note. Follow the link to find out all the details. Liver is just so full of goodness it is hard to beat when it comes to vitamins and minerals. Of course, it needs to be free range and Woolies sells it!
• Curries: I posted a curry recipe on one of my real food friday feasts and listed all the benefits of the spices in curries so follow the link and prepare to be amazed.
• Garlic: I can't stress how good garlic is for the immune system. It's so easy to get in your body every day by cooking with it so there is no excuse to NOT eat it;) (unless you have IBS and it aggravates you!)

Foods you should avoid to boost your immune system:

• Sugar: If there is one food that switches off your immune system completely, it's sugar. It's like you've literally flicked the switch to off and given the bugs free reign over your body. If you're sick, especially avoid it, but even if you're not, just avoid it or you WILL get sick.
• Wheat and gluten: Do yourself a favour, just DON'T eat them. Seriously, they are so bad for everyone, not just those with a wheat intolerance. They are bad for everyone. I'd avoid grains altogether while you are sick. You will heal faster. Stick to protein, healthy saturated fats and veggies and some fruit.
• Soy: Touted as a health food, you'd be hard pressed to find something MORE poisonous to your system. It is highly processed, GMO and it will completely compromise your immune system. Stay faaaaaar far away.
• Processed foods: This includes pretty much anything in a packet bought in the middle aisles of a grocery store, unless it says organic. If it's made in a lab, it's going to be bad for your immune system, period.
• Any food that isn't organic or free range.

Once you are nutritionally sound, you can boost your immune system with some of these herbs and spices:

• Echinacea: Well known for boosting the immune system and preventing colds and flu or, at least, shortening them
• Elderflower: As with echinacea, it boost the immune system and has anti-viral properties
• Ginger: This is a wonder root that is FULL of goodness. It has proven to be superior to antiobiotics in fighting bacterial infections, it's great for the digestive system and it's an anti-inflammatory, to name few benefits. Follow the link to find out more about the powerful healing properties of ginger. Drink it as a tea or put a chunk of ginger root in your smoothies.
• Turmeric: If you can find turmeric root, add it to your smoothies to build up your immune system and fight off colds and flu. Otherwise add half a teaspoon to a mug of raw milk to fight infections. Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and will help your digestive system as well.
• Cat's claw: This herb is an immune regulator which means it will boost the immune system when necessary, and dampen it when necessary. At times, an over-enthusiastic immune system can be a problem. For example, during an allergic reaction. Make sure the cat's claw you use is from uncaria tomentosa and not uncaria guianensis. It will say on the box.

Tissue salts are something we rely on a lot in our house. They are fantastic for so many things. They restore health from the inside out by helping your body to make better use of the nutrients available from the food you eat. One of the major benefits of tissue salts is that they are very safe and can be used by anyone, including pregnant women, babies and the elderly. 

To build up the immune system and fight off infections, here are some you can use:

• Calc Phos (Blood and bone tonic): It assists with the digestion and absorption of food and it has excellent restorative powers which speed up recovery and build up those who are prone to illness.
• Ferrum Phos (Anti-inflammatory): If you are already sick, this is a great one to use to fight the infection. It works for any illness ending in "itis". Like tonsilitis and bronchitis. It reduces swelling, inflammation and pain.
• Kali Mur (Mucous decongestant): It's used to relieve coughs and colds, tonsilitis and sinusitis. It's good for ear infections as well.
• Nat Phos (Acidity and rheumatism): This reduces acid in your body and also helps your digestive system. (Check out Natura's website if you need tissue salts for anything else.)

There are a few alternative remedies you can use as well:

• Colloidal Silver: Read yesterday's post for all the info on that one.
• Septogard: This is a natural antibiotic and it's pretty amazing when fighting all manner of infections. You can also take it to build up your immune system when winter starts.
• Olive leaf extract: This is a powerful antioxidant which is also capable of stopping viruses and bacteria in their tracks and can be taken while you are sick, or during winter to build up your immune system.

This is far from everything. I have really listed the stuff that has worked for us but there is a lot more I'm sure I'll discover over time. Other advice that I can give you is to AVOID antibiotics! These things are shocking for your body. Read this post to find out why and also for some tips on how to fight flu naturally. Antibiotics kill off ALL the bacteria in your colon, whether it's good or bad. You know now, that you need that good bacteria to make your immune system strong. If you are taking antibiotics every time you are sick, you will ALWAYS get sick. That's how it goes. You need to allow your body to heal itself, to make your immune system stronger. The first time you try it, it will probably be hell. I know, I did it. The second time its better. The third time you probably won't even GET sick because your body will be strong enough to fight it off.

Human beings have become so accustomed to taking the fast route for everything. Life is busy and we don't have time to focus on what's actually important so we just take a pill, or we eat a microwave meal, or we just SKIP meals. Then we get REALLY upset when our bodies let us down. Is everything else SO important that our health should be compromised? At the end of your life you won't be thinking that it's ok to be dying because you managed to attend all those business meetings and sign all those contracts, you'll just be thinking, "Why was my life so short?" The answer is simple. You took all the shortcuts to give you more time, and they ended up giving you less time.

Learn to love and respect your body now, while there is still time. Focus on what's important, teach your kids to focus on what's important and do things the natural way.

Real Food Friday Feast - Home-made yogurt

Another busy day in the Lowe-Martin household! It's GLM's birthday tomorrow:) That means loads of preparations on my part. I've also got a big order heading to Durban tomorrow afternoon and I really want to finish it all today so that I can just spend the weekend spoiling my wife which is possibly one of my ultimate favourite things to do:) But I can't let all that get in the way of my daily post and so, here it is!

Today's Real Food Friday Feast recipe is... Home-made yogurt! But why would anyone want to make their own yogurt when the shelves at the grocery store are lined with so many different yogurt options? Well, you know what I'm going to say to that, don't you? Anything that is in a sealed package, on the shelf of a grocery store, is processed food and processed food isn't actually REAL food. In case you aren't sure why, read this post.

I really feel for people who stock up on yogurt on a weekly basis and dutifully eat it by the litre, thinking that they are doing wonders for their digestive system. The reality is that store bought yogurt has about the same nutritional value as a store bought caramel-toffee dessert: and that would be zero. The reason for this is that the yogurt is fermented for a very short period of time, sometimes as little as an hour, in order to turn out more yogurt at a time, and make more money (you didn't actually think they were bothered with making it healthy for you, did you?!) To make it worse, thickening agents are added to the yogurt BECAUSE they don't ferment for long enough, and fermentation is usually the process that thickens it.

So, that yogurt you are eating, actually has very little, if any, probiotics (read about some of the benefits of probiotics in this post) in it and it also has hidden thickening agents that you should really not be eating. To make it worse, most yogurt has so much added sugar that it really does have a similar calorie count to a caramel-toffee dessert! If you are feeding that to your kids, you are not doing them any favours, I promise you. Unfortunately yogurt has been labelled a health food and that means people buy it by the truckload, AND feed it to their kids because it's a convenient, easy, "healthy" snack.

Make a note of this: generally, anything that is easy and convenient, is NOT going to be good for you. It'll probably add a few more minutes to your day. But, those minutes added to your day, can ultimately be subtracted from your life in total, whether it leads to time spent in a doctor's room, or a hospital bed, or worse.

That is why I blog:) And actually, home-made yogurt is SO easy, it'll take you the amount of time you would have taken to get to the store and back, to actually make it and all it will cost you is the price of 1 litre of milk to make 1 litre of yogurt.

Something to bear in mind is that, if you are going to make your own yogurt, it would be a lot more beneficial to use a good quality milk. If you're not sure why, then read this post to understand why full cream, raw milk is the BEST milk for you. If you can't find raw, the next best alternative is Woolies organic full cream milk although, even that is heat-treated and pasteurised.

HOME-MADE YOGURT

A pot
A ceramic or glass dish with a lid
A whisk
1 litre of milk
1/2 cup yogurt (try to get a decent yogurt as a starter. Woolies sells an organic yogurt. You'll only need to buy it once if you are going to be making yogurt often)
Thermometre


Method:

• Turn your oven on to 50° celsius. (this is to create a nice warm environment for the bacteria to thrive in)
• Place the pot on the stove on medium heat so that the milk won't burn at the bottom of the pot. (On my stove this is about a 4)
• Pour the milk into the pot, leaving the lid off (to avoid condensation dripping back into the milk)
• The milk must gently come to a boil (keep an eye on it because it happens quite suddenly and I've been caught unawares a few time!)
• Remove the pot of milk from the stove, cover with a dishcloth and leave to cool
• Every few minutes test the temperature of the milk until it reaches about 40° celsius. (A food thermometre is best here but I STILL don't have one so I just use my digital one that I usually use when one of us is sick! It doesn't go above about 43° celsius but that's fine because you only need it to reach 40°!)
• When the thermometre reads 40° celsius, pour the milk into your ceramic dish
• Turn OFF your oven (you don't want to nuke the little bacteria;)
• Add the 1/2 cup yogurt and mix it in with a whisk (a fork will do if you don't have one!)
• Place the lid on the ceramic dish and stick the dish in the oven
• Leave for 24 hours
• After 24 hours, place the yogurt into a container and store it in the fridge. It will last for about a week or two depending on how fast you eat it.

You can use this batch of yogurt to make the next batch so always make sure to keep at least half a cup aside for when you next make your yogurt to avoid having to buy more. As long as you keep making it, your yogurt will only ever cost you the price of the milk. I pay R9 a litre so that is the price of a litre of yogurt for us!

I usually do this in the morning and then I leave it in my oven overnight and take it out the next morning. If you make some yogurt and suddenly remember you need to roast a chicken in the oven, firstly, DON'T FORGET TO TAKE YOUR YOGURT OUT before turning your oven back on and secondly, it will be fine if you take it out. Your oven will cool down within an hour of you turning it off anyway. As long as it has a bit of heat to kickstart the process, it will still ferment just fine. Put your dish on top of the oven and it will still probably feel a bit of heat from the chicken roasting anyway. Once you've roasted your chicken, let the oven cool a bit before putting your yogurt back into the oven. I learnt this the hard way when I managed to kill all the little bacteria in my yogurt by putting it back into a TOO hot oven!

That's it! Really simple and easy and yummy! You can add fruit, or honey, as you eat it, if the plain yogurt is too sour for you. I really recommend getting your kids, and YOU, accustomed to eating it plain if NOT with fruit or honey. Try to avoid adding sugar to food as it really takes away from the nutritional value. You'll find, with raw, full cream milk, it is deliciously creamy and tasty!

Have a super weekend!

The benefits of raw apple cider vinegar

Every day, after I've done my oil-pulling, and rinsed my mouth with salt water, I drink a warm mug of raw apple cider vinegar, raw honey and water with a dash of cinnamon. Why would anyone do that, you ask? Well, I'm going to give you all the reasons why, right here.

Vinegar has, for centuries, been touted as a remedy for just about every existing ailment. But it's actually apple cider vinegar that has, more recently, been singled out as a health tonic. You'll find it in all health stores and Dischems these days. The big pharmaceutical companies would, of course, have us believe that regular medication is far better than alternative remedies. It always is, for them, because they have absolutely nothing to gain, financially, from alternative and preventative remedies. However, even they can't discount the following studies proving the medical uses of apple cider vinegar:

• Diabetes: The effect of vinegar on blood sugar levels is probably the best researched and the most promising of apple cider vinegar's health benefits. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. A 2007 study of people with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels by 4%-6% when they woke the following morning.

• High cholesterol: A 2006 study showed evidence that vinegar could lower cholesterol.

• Blood pressure and heart health: A study with rats found that vinegar could lower high blood pressure. A larger study also found that people who ate oil and vinegar dressing on salads five to six times a week had lower rates of heart disease than people who didn't. 

• Cancer: A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. 

• Weight Loss: For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. It stabilises the blood sugar making people feel fuller for longer. Bear in mind that apple cider vinegar alone, will not give you the body you want! But it's a good accompaniment to a healthy diet.

Scientific studies are great for some but they're not the be-all and end-all for me, given that scientists also believe that scientifically created food, and medication, is actually good for you! There are many people who also believe apple cider vinegar has the following benefits and I tend to agree:

• Detoxification: Apple cider vinegar is rich in natural minerals, vitamins and enzymes. The unique acids in apple cider vinegar can bind to toxins and help the body eliminate them more effectively. Apple cider vinegar can also help to stimulate circulation and aid detoxification in the liver. In ancient cultures apple cider vinegar was often used to purify the blood. Apple cider vinegar aids detoxification by breaking up mucus throughout the body and cleansing the lymph nodes to allow for better lymph circulation. A healthy lymphatic system can remove toxins from the cells in the body while improving immune system response.

• To help with digestion: This is possibly one of apple cider vinegar’s biggest benefits. It can help with indigestion and gastrointestinal discomfort caused by certain foods. It's said to clear up chronic acid reflux when taken with each meal and I can attest to that.

• Strengthens the immune system: Apple cider vinegar devotees claim that it is one of the main reasons they are able to ward of common illnesses like colds and flu. This is possibly due to its unique blend of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. It also possesses antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. I can vouch for the faster healing, myself!

• For soft and shiny hair: Acetic acid, the main ingredient in Apple cider vinegar, will remove build up from styling products and strengthen the hair shaft, leaving you with soft, shiny hair. It also balances your hair's pH level, kills bacteria, and helps get rid of dandruff. Dilute 1/3 cup Apple cider vinegar in 4 cups of water and pour over your hair after shampooing. Leave it in for a few seconds before rinse your hair using cold water to seal the hair shaft and create more shine. The vinegar smell will disappear as soon as your hair dries! Don't do this daily as vinegar is acidic!

A few other benefits:

• Prevents bladder stones and urinary tract infections
• Increases stamina
• Alleviates symptoms of arthritis and gout
• Reduces sinus infections and sore throats
• Improves skin conditions such as acne
• Protects against food poisoning
• Improves digestion and constipation
• Prevents muscle fatigue after exercise
• Fights allergies in both humans and animals
• Prevents bad breath when used as a gargle mixed with water
• Prevents body odour when used externally
• Prevents night time leg cramps

When I talk about apple cider vinegar, I don't mean the stuff you buy at pick n pay in the vinegar aisle. That is very poor quality, essentially "dead", vinegar and it's not going to have any medicinal benefits. It's been completely stripped of everything beneficial. It also contains preservatives and drinking it may actually be worse for you than not drinking any at all! The stuff I am talking about is raw apple cider vinegar which contains "the mother".   "The mother" is that cloudy sediment that settles on the bottom of the vinegar bottle if you leave it to stand for a while and it is made of of living nutrients and bacteria which is why it is so beneficial for you.

Dischem raw brand at a small cost of R19.95

A very good, imported brand, but pricier!

So, how do you drink it? Well, as I said in the beginning, I drink it every morning, about 20 minutes before breakfast. This is how I make it:

• Half fill a mug with hot water
• Add a teaspoon of raw honey and mix until dissolved
• Add a dash of cinnamon
• Top the mug up with cold water
• Only THEN, stir in a capful (or tablespoon) of vinegar
• Drink!

In case you're wondering why you add the vinegar last, it's because it is raw and adding it to boiling water will kill off a lot of the bacteria and nutrients that you NEED to be drinking. So it's best to add it to lukewarm water. The cinnamon is not essential if you're not a fan of it but, to me, it makes it more palatable. Cinnamon IS really good for you, in any case:

• It is known to lower blood sugar and cholesterol
• It has natural anti-infectious compounds
• It reduces pain linked to arthritis
• It may reduce the proliferation of cancer cells
• It is a natural food preservative
• It contains contains fibre, calcium, iron, and manganese
• It's been proven effective for menstrual pain and infertility
• Cinnamon holds promise for various neurodegenerative diseases, including: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, brain tumours and meningitis

Knowing all that, why would you NOT add the cinnamon?! Besides which, it makes it taste a bit like mulled wine (according to my brother;)

I was REALLY surprised when, the first time I made it for GLM, she actually said she LIKED it! It is an acquired taste for some but we actually enjoy our morning mug and, if I forget it over the weekend when I'm out of routine, GLM will often go and make it for herself or ask why we aren't drinking it;) 

So, if you are ready to enjoy all the wonderful benefits of apple cider vinegar, head off to your nearest health shop or dischem, buy yourself a bottle and get started!

Real Food Friday Feast - Butternut Soup!

One of my favourite foods to eat, during winter, is soup. I love all kinds of soups and I experiment with all sorts of different types, but top of my list has got to be butternut soup. It has such a unique, sweet flavour and  it's also so thick and wholesome that it is a whole meal all on its own. The only problem I have with butternut soup, is when it's someone ELSE'S butternut soup. And that is because it is almost always made with cream, as well as some kind of stock that is store bought and loaded with all sorts of rubbish. One bowl of THAT soup and my stomach is saying, "Howzit!" So, of course, I had to play around with my own recipe and I think it comes out pretty well if I say so myself;)

The KEY ingredient to ANY soup is good quality stock. So where do you get it if EVERYTHING you buy at the stores is full of rubbish? Because, unless it says organic, it IS full of rubbish, I promise. Given that soup is supposed to be so nourishing and healthy, why would you want to sully it with chemicals? I'll tell you my secret ingredient. It's called Bone Broth.

Broth used to be considered a poor man's food because it's pretty cheap to make. All you need are bones and you get a very nutritious, cheap meal out of those. What people don't realise is how nutritious it actually is. Just a few things that broth will improve are: digestion, allergies, immune health, brain health, and there is a lot more. Broth is very high in amino acids called proline and glycine which are vital for healthy connective tissue (ligaments, joints, around organs, etc) What a lot of people DON'T know is that broth can help reduce cellulite because it improves connective tissue, increase hair growth/strength, improve digestive issues and remineralize teeth. I think I may have had you at cellulite;)

The Paleo Mom has a great explanation of the importance of these two amino acids:

“In addition, glycine is required for synthesis of DNA, RNA and many proteins in the body. As such, it plays extensive roles in digestive health, proper functioning of the nervous system and in wound healing. Glycine aids digestion by helping to regulate the synthesis and of bile salts and secretion of gastric acid. It is involved in detoxification and is required for production of glutathione, an important antioxidant. Glycine helps regulate blood sugar levels by controlling gluconeogenesis (the manufacture of glucose from proteins in the liver). Glycine also enhances muscle repair/growth by increasing levels of creatine and regulating Human Growth Hormone secretion from the pituitary gland. This wonderful amino acid is also critical for healthy functioning of the central nervous system. In the brain, it inhibits excitatory neurotransmitters, thus producing a calming effect. Glycine is also converted into the neurotransmitter serine, which promotes mental alertness, improves memory, boosts mood, and reduces stress.

Proline has an additional role in reversing atherosclerotic deposits. It enables the blood vessel walls to release cholesterol buildups into your blood stream, decreasing the size of potential blockages in your heart and the surrounding blood vessels. Proline also helps your body break down proteins for use in creating new, healthy muscle cells.”

Sounding like something you'd like in your diet? Well, it's SO cheap and easy to make you'll wonder what took you so long! All you need is a big pot filled with water, some vinegar and a pile of bones! Let's get a bit more specific!

You will need: 

A large pot

Water

Approx. 1kg bones

2 tablespoons of vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar)

Method:

• Throw all the bones into the pot
• Fill the pot with water stopping about 4 or 5 centimetres from the top
• Add the vinegar
• Bring the water to boil and then turn down to a simmer
• Leave for approx. 8-24hrs
• Pour liquid through colander into large container and freeze or use as needed

This all works even better if you have a slow cooker. I throw everything into my slow cooker and go about my day and night and forget about it. My slow cooker is second only to my dishwasher in terms of the love and devotion my kitchen appliances receive from me;) Most women might look askance at their spouse for buying them a slow cooker for christmas but not THIS woman! I was too excited for words when my gorgeous GLM bought me mine;)

Why the vinegar? Well, it helps to coax all the minerals out of the bones a bit better than if you were just to leave the bones to boil on their own. If you don't have vinegar, you can also use lemon juice. In case you're wondering where I get the bones from, well, this part is really easy. I save them over the course of a few weeks. Every time we have chicken, we put all the leftover bones into a container in the freezer. Once I have enough, it's time to make broth. I also order a bag of free range mutton bones from my meat supplier and I add one or two of those to the chicken mix. The more variety you have, the better. Even fish bones will work but it's not my favourite. The quality of the bones is important though. It MUST be from free range, grassfed, healthy animals because the quality of your bone broth is only going to be as good as the quality of the bones.

The recipe above is just for your basic bone broth, but I get a little more adventurous with mine and you can too if you want. You will use this mostly as stock for soups, stews and curries, so it's nice if it has a little flavour to it aside from the bones. I add about a teaspoon of mixed herbs, as well as a few fresh herbs if I have them and I also add about half a teaspoon of himalayan rock salt. (If you only have normal table salt in your cupboards, please banish it NOW and get some sea salt or himalayan rock salt. It's sold at Pick n Pay's, Spars, Dischems etc so there is no excuse and it's so much better for you. I will do a blog post on this alone at some point!)

As far as timing goes, I prefer to leave mine for about 24hrs. Reason being that it REALLY gets everything out of the bones. You will see the bones start to turn whiter the longer they simmer and that's how you know it's working. The longer you leave them, the more nutritious it is going to be. Once it's done, I drain it and then, using a soup ladle, I fill up several containers and freeze them. I save ALL the containers I get when I buy anything and I recycle them by using them for storage. GLM gets a little frustrated when she opens the scullery cupboard and sees a million containers of different shapes and sizes taking up all the space;) But I really DO use them, especially when I make broth. I'd say I end up with about 8x500ml containers by the time I'm done, so about 4 litres of stock.

I just froze 4 litres of it this morning and, tomorrow, I'll take out a few of them to make my butternut soup for our guests tomorrow night. The weather has suddenly turned really nasty in Johannesburg and it's chilly and overcast which is PERFECT soup weather:) Speaking of which, here is your recipe for today!

Butternut Soup

4 or 5 medium sized butternuts

1 medium size sweet potato (optional!)

1 1/2 litres of bone broth

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 - 2 teaspoons masala (curry powder)

Salt (I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon but my slow cooker is HUGE)

Method:

• Scrub all the butternuts and the sweet potato and chop and de-seed them (I save my seeds to plant in my veggie garden) You don't need to peel them (My wise mother suggested this to me and she was absolutely right! I used to peel them but it's such a mission and the skin adds more fibre! Just make sure they're clean. (I scrub them with white vinegar, NOT a chemical cleaner)
• Place all the chunks in the pot (or slow cooker)
• In a bowl or jug, add the stock, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, masala and salt and stir
• Pour the mixture over the chopped veggies and add either a bit of water, or more stock, to cover the veggies
• Bring to the boil and then let simmer for about an hour (If using a slow cooker, turn to auto and walk away!)
• Once veggies are soft enough, use a hand blender to blend all the chunks until the mixture is nice and smooth and creamy
• Add coconut milk and stir in
• Serves 2 for about a week!

The masala is optional but we love curry in our house, so my soup always has a bit of a bite to it. I think I may love curry more because GLM often diplomatically says, "It's got quite a bite hey?" as her nose streams and her eyes water;) I actually haven't added coconut milk for a while now because I find it's creamy enough but that's entirely your choice. You can even add cream, but make sure it's organic or free range.

Now, people have asked me how you can go organic when you are on a budget. Well, it's a lot easier than you think because you are cutting out all that stuff in boxes that costs a bomb. So all you need to buy is meat and fruits and veggies. This soup is a really cheap, nutritious meal that will feed you for days and it's delicious. I was at Pick n Pay earlier today buying butternuts. They have organic butternuts and sweet potatoes in store right now:) The organic butternuts are R11.99 for two or three in a bag and the sweet potatoes are R16.99 for a bag.

So I had a look at the "normal" butternuts just out of interest. They were R8.99 for a bag of 2 and, I'm not just saying this, they looked really bad. They were much smaller than the organic ones and they were full of black marks and holes that looked like something had chewed on them. I didn't check the potato prices because they looked even worse. So, although the normal butternuts were R3 cheaper, they were smaller which means you'd have to buy more anyway and you'd probably end up chopping away the bad bits which would leave you with even less. SO, we are looking at 4-5 medium size butternuts. That'll cost you at the most, about R59.95, but most of the bags had 2 butternuts in so it'll be more like R35.97. The bone broth is pretty much free because they're bones you've collected at home and water out of your tap. Just add a few spices to that and possibly the meal costs R70 at most but, more likely, R50. This recipe makes about 5 litres of butternut soup. When I make it, it lasts us over a week, even with one, or both of us, having 2 bowls each a day! I end up freezing some eventually. If you buy a box of fish fillets, you get about 6 in the box. That is only 3 meals and I bet that box is over R40? Do you see how you can do this? 

This is just one way and there will be many more suggestions and ideas over the months so keep an eye out. I always look for the bargains and I try to save while still keeping it real and it IS do-able.

That's it! Enjoy your butternut soup and have a beautifully green, organic weekend:)