The humble mushroom has long been grown for cooking and in recent times used to add flavour to a variety of cuisine dishes.
Mushrooms are widely used by chefs to add flavour and depth to meals. Chefs recognise its flavoursome qualities, and it is regarded as an essential element, enhancing many and varied cuisine dishes.
There are millions of mushrooms produced around the world. There are thousands of edible mushrooms, but only about 100 are cultivated commercially. Mushrooms are basically a fungus and are mostly grown in the dark.
Mushrooms help protect against free radicals that may invade the body and cause harm, such as cancer and heart disease.
Mushrooms have heart health benefits as they are low in calories, fat, and cholesterol, making them an excellent red meat substitute in many salads and pasta dishes. They are a good source of minerals, as well as fibre and vitamins.
2 Benefits to the Immune System
We would all like to strengthen our immune system, especially since the threat of Covid-19 infection now exists around the world. There are many products that promise to boost the immune system.
There are millions of people with autoimmune diseases or inflammatory diseases and allergies. And there are also many people whose immune systems may be a bit too active. But having an overactive immune system is not all bad. Your immune system maybe in overdrive and attacking all sorts of things such as tree pollen, but that heightened state of alert may also cause some budding tumours in the body.
Therefore, we want to boost the parts of the immune system that fight infection whilst downgrading the parts that may cause inflammation… and mushrooms might just fit the bill. Making mushrooms a part of your regular diet has been shown to not only boost the immune system, but mushrooms can also reduce inflammation.
Lemons are one of the healthiest fruits to eat, possessing many health benefits, especially for the immune system. A lemon is small in size but represents a powerhouse of essential vitamins and minerals. Lemons are extremely rich in nutrition, vitamin C and are full of antioxidants.
What are the Health Benefits of Lemons?
Lemon juice is an immune boosting food with natural antioxidant benefits, rich in vitamin C and nutritious.
1. Lemon juice aids digestion
Lemon juice helps wake up the digestive system and is a great substitute for coffee or tea. It is not only a delicious drink but an immune system support. It helps protect the cells from damaging free radicals. It can aid digestion and ease tummy upsets, as well as improving overall mood, wellbeing and health, as it strengthens immune system function.
For an immune system boost, try taking a hot water and lemon drink as it will not only have soothing immune system benefits but will greatly improve digestion, helping you to stay hydrated.
2. Lemons fight against colds, flu and viruses
Lemon juice is rich in Vitamin C, as are a lot of other citrus fruits.
Lemon juice will help strengthen, cleanse and invigorate your body, giving it an enhanced boost of Vitamin C.
It is recommended for those with a weak immune system, or an immune deficiency, to increase their intake of citrus fruits daily, to give their health a boost. This will protect the cells, helping to fight off coughs, colds and flu-type symptoms. Lemon juice can also ease and loosen chest congestion, thereby by easing breathing difficulties.
Lemon makes it easier for breathing pathways to function normally, putting less strain on the heart and lungs (opening up the breathing pathways). A squeeze of lemon juice over a freshly tossed nutrient-based salad, along with a lightly grilled piece of fish, is an excellent way to strengthen and boost your immune system.
3. Lemon Juice helps fight bacterial infections
Lemon juice’s natural antibacterial properties help fight against bacterial infections, as well as preventing further damage due to throat infections. Lemon juice also has benefits for urinary tract infection, because of its natural diuretic properties. It is important to eat well and add lemon juice to your daily diet as you will have a better chance of fighting off infections, due to the beneficial bacterial properties of lemons.
4. Lemons help to lose excess weight.
Adding lemon juice to your diet every morning, in a drink of water, will improve your overall diet. Lemon juice puts balance back into your diet, as it helps remove excess weight, and cleanses and removes unwanted waste more easily. Lemon will help reduce water retention as it is a natural diuretic that helps fight against bloating and fluid retention.
To maintain weight and put your diet in balance, use lemon juice as a delicious refreshing drink, or on a salad. It can improve your overall diet, while strengthening your immune system.
5. Lemons aid liver function
A healthy liver is a very important organ, vital for a healthy immune system. Lemon juice has natural stimulant benefits for optimum health and liver function. The natural antioxidants in lemon juice help protect against liver damage by improving the breakdown of fatty foods, while lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Lemon juice has many natural health benefits including helping to cleanse and detox the body, by improving liver function.
Lemon juice not only cleanses but detoxifies the liver, protecting it against damage… helping to build a strong immune system. Lemon juice stimulates liver and bile function enabling fat soluble toxins to be flushed out, helping maintain the liver in good health.
It is recommended to avoid high consumption of fatty foods, alcohol and cocktail drinks, as these cause strain on liver function and have the potential to damage or weaken an already low immune system. Instead, mix your own delicious drinks with lemon juice, combined with your favourite immune-boosting healthy foods.
Vitamin C Foods
6. Lemons freshen your breath
Lemon juice is a refreshing drink as well a natural mouth wash. It freshens the breath, washing away bacteria and germs. Due to the bacterial properties in lemon juice, it also freshens chopping boards after cutting cheese, garlic, onions or other strong flavoured foods. Simply wiping down with lemon juice on safe surfaces after use will remove strong food odours.
7. Lemons can reduce the incidence of kidney stones
It has been found that drinking 1/2 a cup of fresh lemon juice, diluted in a glass of water each day, is more likely to reduce the recurrence of kidney stones. Drinking lemon juice, along with adequate daily water, can help flush the kidneys. Lemon juice helps block the formation of kidney stones because of the citrate content.
8. Lemons can improve the appearance of your skin
Lastly, lemon’s antiseptic properties, along with the antioxidant benefits of vitamin C, help the exfoliation of dead cells, as it’s a natural skin astringent that promotes a tightened, smoother-toned skin. Your skin should feel softer, fresher and clean and your hair will look shinier.
Lemons are not only one of the best immune boosting foods, but a wonderful source of vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, all of which play an important role in improving the condition and appearance of your hair, nails and most importantly your skin.
Starting every day with a squeeze of lemon in a glass of water enhances the immune system, allowing the body to wake up the digestive system so that unwanted toxins can be flushed through. This not only increases your body’s energy levels but allows you to feel more hydrated, fresh and revived.
Drink Lemon Water in the Morning
Lemon juice is one of the best immune boosting foods. It can be freshly squeezed over a salad or into a glass of water first thing in the morning… this will decrease acidity in the body. To boost your immune system, especially during the colder months, drinking a glass of warm water first thing in the morning, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (and perhaps a dash of honey) will greatly enhance the immune system. Lemons are one of the healthiest fruits that you can add to your diet every day to provide a health boost.
When lemon juice is added to a diet on a regular basis it has huge benefits to health and the immune system.
Whether they are used whole, grated for their peel, crushed, juiced or squeezed over a healthy salad, or used in deserts, lemons pack a powerful punch when it comes to maintaining health and controlling a well-balanced immune system.
Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian cuisine and traditional medicine. It contains a compound called curcumin, which has been shown to have many potential health benefits. Some of the benefits of turmeric include:
Anti-inflammatory properties: Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and can help reduce inflammation in the body, which is associated with many chronic diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, and cancer.
Antioxidant properties: Curcumin also has strong antioxidant properties, which can help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals.
Pain relief: Turmeric may help relieve pain, particularly in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Improved brain function: Some studies suggest that curcumin may improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Improved heart health: Curcumin may help improve heart health by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Potential cancer-fighting properties: Some studies suggest that curcumin may have anti-cancer properties and could help prevent or treat certain types of cancer.
We are all looking for better nutrition food choices that will improve our overall health and wellbeing. The unobtrusive turmeric root vegetable can play a very important role, with its powerful antioxidant benefits.
Turmeric Root
TURMERIC can be bought fresh
and looks like this with a characteristic orange colour…
Turmeric has within it, a highly concentrated compound called curcumin. Curcumin has antioxidant properties that can dramatically treat inflammation and swelling in joint and muscle tissues along with fatty build-ups. These inflammatory build-ups within these vital organs can cause many underlying hidden problems within the body and this may lead to cancer, heart disease, obesity, liver disease, Alzheimer’s disease and skin infections.
Overall, turmeric is a healthy and flavorful addition to your diet that may offer many potential health benefits. However, it’s important to note that more research is needed to fully understand its effects and potential uses.
7 Health Benefits of Turmeric
1 Turmeric has significant anti–inflammatory benefits and may assist greatly in supporting heart health by reducing heart disease and heart attacks. To maintain optimum health, it’s very important to eat more whole fruit and vegetables in the diet, along with fresh herbs and spices such as turmeric to help fight against inflammation in the body, brought on by overindulgence or bad heating habits.
2 Turmeric’s other main benefit is to support healthy joints and mobility. It may assist against swelling and inflamed joints due to its many anti–inflammatory benefits.
3 Turmeric is full of antioxidants that helps fight free radicals in the body, which is the key for the body to stay healthy and youthful.
4 Turmeric has a significant effect on helping in regulating mood and depression
5 Turmeric can aid in reducing joint pain. Its anti–inflammatory, antioxidant benefits and anti-bacterial benefits may aid in the treatment of skin and wound conditions, digestive issues, aches and pains and joint arthritis due to its healing properties.
6 Turmeric has an active ingredient, curcumin, which plays a vital role in promoting natural anti- inflammatory properties. The plant compounds in curcumin and turmeric, according to many health experts, may provide improvement in the regulation of obesity, body fat issues and reduce the risks of heart disease.
7 Turmeric may also improve fungal issues and may protect against liver stresses.
What is Turmeric?
The turmeric rootis a versatile root vegetable packed with lots of flavour along with endless healthy benefits. The fresh turmeric root is bright orange in color and is a member of the ginger family.
Turmeric Powder
Turmeric has been widely used throughout India and China for centuries. Turmeric is a popular golden spice and the key component in turmeric is curcumin. Both have proven natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on the body.
Curcumin
Curcumin is the golden yellow pigment that is present in turmeric and this gives it the distinctive colour and flavour. For many centuries, curcumin has been widely used in traditional medicine, playing a major role in the prevention and treatment of many inflammatory diseases. Curcumin gives turmeric its natural anti-inflammatory benefits.
By increasing turmeric and curcumin in some people’s diet, many studies have shown improvements in these people suffering from health conditions such as obesity, liver stress, diabetics and heart disease. Turmeric has been shown to reduce inflammation, cholesterol and blood sugar as well as reducing bacterial diseases and fungal issues by its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Eating Turmeric for Health
Ground Turmeric
Turmeric and curcumin can be taken as a root vegetable in a powder form or as a tablet supplement. Turmeric is a spice which adds a wonderful enhancement to many delicious curry meals by its distinctive color, flavour and taste. Its many health properties and benefits aid in the body’s overall good health.
Turmeric can be a
wonderful extra healthy addition to your diet, grated and a small amount added
to oil in a pan along with added pepper or peppercorns as these aid the body’s
ability to digest it more easily. Look
for a spice blend that includes peppercorns as well. (When cooking, watch out for the
shirt-staining effect on your clothes as it can be very difficult to remove, so
best use something protective, like an apron).
How to use Turmeric
Add this health-boosting turmeric spice to your salads, potatoes omelettes, soups and teas.
The turmeric root can be grated and fried lightly in oil and used as a spice added to curries, sauces and meat dishes. Turmeric powder is readily available in the spice section of supermarket stores, along with many other wonderful spices such as cinnamon and ginger.
Turmeric supplements and tablets are also readily available in health stores. Always seek advice on how to take these, how many, how often and with food or without. Always read the labels.
Golden Milk hot drink
Turmeric is the main ingredient in “Golden Milk”. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to use turmeric in your diet and take advantage of turmeric s health benefits, mixing turmeric and milk together makes a delicious Golden Milk drink. Try it, you will love it.
The Mediterranean Diet is recommended by doctors for good Health and Nutrition.
The great thing about the Mediterranean way of eating is that it’s not really a diet at all but a lifestyle way of eating great food.
Historically, throughout the different countries along the Mediterranean coastal regions, people ate what was readily available in their gardens at the time. They also grew many varieties of fruits and olive trees, as well as different farm animals like goats, pigs, chickens etc. Grape vines and olive groves were grown there for many centuries; hence the wonderful quality wines produced, along with the fantastic abundance of olive oils.
The Mediterranean Way of Life was that of tending to animals, picking fruit, digging and planting different varieties of food crops in the various vegetable gardens. and sharing the produce with those around… with neighbours and at the local markets.
Food was fresh, natural and healthy. This way of life was based around food, fresh from the garden, prepared in the kitchen, then eaten… relaxing with family and friends around the table, enjoying and soaking up the lifestyle.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean Diet is mostly based on eating large amounts of plant-based foods, along with whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, seeds, legumes and flavoured with fresh herbs and spices.
Fish and
seafood is recommended to be eaten at least twice a week, followed by poultry,
eggs and dairy products, taken in moderate portions daily and weekly.
Red meats and
sweets foods to be limited to weekly.
Eight cups of
fresh water taken daily and red wine to be taken moderately.
The Omega-3 fatty acids in some of these foods are essential to your body’s health. These fatty acids increase the good cholesterol HDL in the body. The healthy fats in olive oil are great for heart health, as well as weight loss.
Spices are
often used instead of using salt, which is much healthier.
Salmon is often a recommended food of choice for the health benefits.
Why Follow a Mediterranean Diet?
If you base your diet around the Mediterranean diet you will not only be eating healthy food packed full of great nutrition, but your healthy lifestyle will greatly improve your overall health and nutrition. Eating slowly and enjoying every morsel while relaxing is highly recommended for health and digestion.
It is also recommended that you buy fresh food, when it is in season and locally where possible. Farmers markets are often great places to buy fresh vegetables and fruit, including herbs for your supply of healthy foods to maintain your healthy Mediterranean diet.
Many towns have set up community gardens where you can grow your own plants and share your produce with other gardeners. This is highly recommended for your own health and wellbeing. Otherwise, set up your own garden plot, get your children involved and grow your own vegies.
Why not try adopting the Mediterranean Diet? The health benefits to you and your family will be profound.
A good healthy breakfast is essential to start your day. You need to eat good food packed with good nutrition, with the healthiest fruits available. Healthy eating allows you to develop a healthy lifestyle. Breakfast is probably the most important meal for the day. It starts your day to maximise your nutrition and energy levels for a healthy lifestyle.
A good start is a delicious bowl of fresh fruit salad containing blueberries, strawberries, orange, apple and mango, mixed with a tablespoon of quinoa and topped with a few pumpkin seeds and almonds. Finish with Greek Yogurt and perhaps almond or other milk. Finally a teaspoon of honey makes for a very nutritious, healthy breakfast.
SMOOTHIES
If your day mostly starts with a rush, smoothies are a great way to get the nutrition your body needs for good health.
Smoothies
can be packed full of healthy food and can be made fairly quickly and it’s
always a great idea to have frozen fruit in the freezer ready. Frozen berries mixed
with milk of your choice or your favourite juice, along with a few blue berries
or perhaps strawberries or blackberries in season, topped off with a few whole
pieces of fruit and a sprig of mint, make for a delicious way to start the day,
Other
smoothie mixes may be mango and passion fruit in milk or orange juice, topped
with slices of mango and mint.
