Spring forward with greens, turnips and leeks

TurnipsWithout wishing to follow the example of a minister in government, suggesting that we eat turnips instead of tomatoes (because of food shortages),  this is a blog by Susan Aldridge which is very seasonal.

We’re in Lent. Dry January and Veganuary are behind us – so what to give up now? I grew up with Lent (though I haven’t observed it for many years) and the last thing I remember giving up was sugar in tea – not a bad idea if you want to manage your weight and avoid type 2 diabetes. But let’s think in terms of adding something to our diets, instead of giving up, says Healthy Soul guest blogger, Dr Susan Aldridge, freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition.

What’s in season, what’s often neglected? I decided to go for spring greens, turnips and leeks ¬– all highly nutritious but maybe overlooked as healthy choices.

Spring green juice

Serves one
One head of spring greens, roughly chopped
Two handfuls kale, roughly chopped,
One lemon
One grapefruit, peeled
One cucumber, chopped
Three celery stalks, chopped
One inch turmeric root, chopped
One inch ginger root, chopped

Juice all ingredients except the lemon. I think it’s best to squeeze the juice into the prepared juice before serving.

Turnip and butter bean mash

There are many healthier alternatives to traditional potato mash, and turnips and butter beans make a surprisingly delicious combination. Turnips are less starchy than potatoes, if you’re looking for lower carb choices. They have a moderate glycaemic index (GI) at 62 (potatoes have a GI in the high 80, while butter beans have a low GI of 31.

Serves two to three
Around eight small turnips, peeled and chopped
400g tin butter beans, drained
Small piece of butter (or you could use crème fraiche or cream to make the mixture smooth and creamy)
One tbsp. mustard (I used horseradish mustard)
Freshly ground black pepper.
Boil the turnips till tender, then mash with the butter beans, butter and mustard till smooth. Season with black pepper. This reheats well in the microwave.

Super stir fry

Serves two
One head of spring greens, chopped
One bunch leeks, chopped
Sliced mushrooms
Two sliced red peppers
One small pineapple, peeled and sliced
One inch ginger, peeled and chopped
Three large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
One tbsp. peanut butter
One tbsp. soy sauce
One tbsp. juice from the pineapple
Lemon grass paste
Fry the ginger and garlic in coconut oil till soft, then add all the vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes before adding the peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon grass paste and pineapple juice to make a sauce. Add more liquid if needed. Stir fry till all cooked and heated through. Serve with high-protein noodles.
Next month: Some healthy Easter treats

Squats and laser for arthritic knees

For several years I have not been able to get up easily if I am bending down to a low cupboard to get something out, have a look or to clean it. In yoga I have avoided doing squats that hurt my knees. So, when I was asked to show an NHS physiotherapist some squats, I winced.  Then he suggested I did them daily to help ease my knees. It’s not always the arthritis in the knees that hurts, it’s often the tightness in and around them.

By regular exercise, in this case, squatting, we can protect the knees by building up strength in the surrounding muscles.  Check out the diagram on squats for the knees on page 27, Chapter 3 of my book, One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis.

Laser treatment has not been used very much for osteoarthritis but St Thomas Hospital in London was trying it out for injuries and OA. Now, it’s more available at some osteopaths and chiropractors. It’s a very soothing, non-invasive treatment that heals at a deep level and can make your knees feel very good, but it’s important to keep repeating the treatment. 

One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis focuses on what everyone can do to maintain quality of life by  keeping active and mobile despite having osteoarthritis. I emphasise the importance of exercise, diet and weight loss as well as giving plenty of practical tips that are easy to follow.

Frances Ive is the author of One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis.  Available at: One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis: Amazon and Waterstones

 

Sugar highly addictive – & children’s foods are full of it

Most people would find it hard to believe that sugar is as addictive as cocaine, alcohol and nicotine.

The world’s leading sugar addiction expert Nicole M. Avena, PhD, has devised a plan for reducing sugar intake and improving health. Her 7 step plan helps to wean people off sugar and other sweeteners.  Over-consumption of sugar has detrimental effects on the brain and body and its addictive qualities were found to be comparable to that of cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol. 

 Campaigners including Bite Back founded by Jamie Oliver and Sir Patrick Vallance, former chief scientific advisor in the UK, are pressurising major global food companies to cut sugar and fat in children’s food. Researchers at Oxford University were reported to have found that the top 10 global food manufacturers made more than 68 per cent of their packaged food and drink sales in the UK in 2022 from products high in fat and sugar or salt.

Sugarless, by Nicole M Avena, is available in paperback, Audible and ebook. Click on the Amazon ad on this page. 

Manuka honey – double the health benefits

Courtesy of Living Nature.
Courtesy of Living Nature.

Honey is n to be good at fighting viruses, but Manuka honey has even more clout. Extracted from the Manuka Plant, Manuka Oil also possesses naturally potent antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Research confirms that it combats the micro-organisms that cause many common skin irritations and infections. It also protects against peptic ulcers and soothes a sore throat.

Manuka Oil has been revered by the Maori people of New Zealand for centuries for its natural healing properties. The flowers of the Manuka bush are also antibacterial, so honey made by bees which collect pollen from its flowers is doubly effective in healing wounds and fighting superbugs.

‘Superbugs’ affected nearly 60,000  patients in the UK in 2022, but some hospitals are now dressing wounds with Manuka honey to kill off antibiotic-resistant infections. Studies at the Cawthron Institute in New Zealand proved that Manuka Oil is effective against 39 separate micro-organisms including the bacteria that causes acne and MRSA.

Living Nature’s top 10 tips for using the natural curative powers of Manuka Honey Gel:

+ Cuts & grazes; insect bites; prickly heat; skin irritations; minor sun burn, cold sores, blisters, spots and shaving rash.

Soothing tips for viruses

lemons

Covid is back again and it is a worse strain that some of its predecessors. The symptoms of Covid include a dry cough, sore throat, feeling achey and tired, and lacking energy. You can’t cure it, but as with flu and colds, you can soothe symptoms.

Coughing at night

Dilute a teaspoonful of honey (preferably Manuka honey) in a glass of  warm water and have it by the bedside in case you start hacking in the night. If  it starts as soon as you lie down it’s a good idea to prop yourself up on pillows, which means you might get at least some sleep.  I always like to massage Vicks Rub into the chest area before going to sleep. It contains eucalyptus oil, but for a completely natural remedy a few drops of Eucalyptus or Olbas oil in a carrier oil (almond, calendula, etc.) has the same effect.

Steaming for blocked nose

You can’t beat steaming either – morning and night and even in between, but especially before you go to sleep.  If you put a few drops of essential oil, such as Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, or Olbas oil (a combination of essential oils) into a bowl of steaming hot water so much the better.  Cover your head with a towel and breathe in the pungent vapours. But be careful – if they are too strong it can be quite overpowering so start with a couple of drops and add more if necessary

Gargling for sore throats

When I was a child we gargled with TCP which was horrible!  Now I prefer something more natural – if you’ve got Himalayan salt crystals put a pinch in a glass of warm water. Or if you’re prepared for another strong taste a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil in warm water works well on a sore throat/cough.

Echinacea Throat Spray is fantastic for soothing the throat and can be kept by the bed for topping up at night.

Dr Jen Tan of A. Vogel, recommends plenty of hydration with hot drinks and water, but avoiding mucus-forming milk.  He also endorses lemon and honey which can be mixed together and sipped, and plenty of Vitamin C.