5 Ways to use Chia Seeds

5 Ways to use Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are an excellent source of nutrition, packed with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various essential minerals. Here are some ways to get the maximum health benefit from chia seeds:

  1. Soak them: Soaking chia seeds in water or any liquid for a few hours or overnight can help increase their nutritional value. When chia seeds soak, they form a gel-like substance that is easy to digest and absorb. This gel also helps slow down the digestion process, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and promote feelings of fullness.
  2. Add them to smoothies: Chia seeds 
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Golden Turmeric

Golden Turmeric
You probably know that the yellow spice of turmeric is a stable ingredient in a good curry, but what you may not realise is that it can also be used to ease joint discomfort.   
So what exactly is turmeric and how can it ease joint discomfort and muscular tiredness?

Turmeric is a flowering plant and a rhizome (like ginger. it's cousin), also known by the scientific name of Curcuma Longa.  It's orange/yellow in colour and there are about 45 different species of it in India.  
 
Practitioners of ayurvedic medicine have long used turmeric to combat pain.  
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Iodine - Are You Deficient?

Iodine - Are You Deficient?
Increasing iodine is one of the many things addressed on my 28 Day Health Challenge  because it is vital for good health - but many people are deficient in it.  
 
Read to the bottom to find out how you can do a home test to see if you are deficient in iodine. 
 
Iodine is directly related to the endocrine system (the hormone system).    It supports our thyroid function, hormonal health, adrenal glands and .......

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Sulfurzyme - part of my Joint & Mobility Health Protocol

Sulfurzyme - part of my Joint & Mobility Health Protocol

This blog is about a supplement that ‘supports joint comfort and helps maintain joint mobility’.

The supplement has only 2 main ingredients in it!  Just 2!    MSM – you may have heard of before this stands for METHYL SULFONYL METHANE and the other ingredient is LYCIUM BARBARUM which is the Latin name for the Chinese wolfberry also known as goji berries and mede berry.  

So the MSM – sulphur is an extremely important mineral – the body needs sulphur to survive.  

As we get older we undergo a certain amount of wear and tear especially the joints in our knees and knuckles – everyone can benefit from MSM – even your dogs and cats and whilst recommended for everyone over 50, your joints start to wear down in the 30s, so if you are very active then it’s never too early to start supporting your skeletal system.  In America and other parts of the world Sulfurzyme comes in powder form and capsule form.  In Europe we can only get the capsule form – which is good as the powder form contains Stevia – and this you definitely cannot give to your animals – but we don’t have to worry about that as there is no stevia in our capsule form.  


It is important to also drink plenty of water when desiring the support of healthy joints, ligaments, bones and muscles. Simply drink half of your body weight number in ounces.  For example, if you are 200 pounds, you would strive to drink 100 oz of water every day.  


In addition to supporting joint comfort and mobility Sulurzyme also strengthens hair, nails and skin, and reduces inflammation and supports gut health.  Goji berries are a prebiotic.  Many people take PRObiotics every day – which is great, especially after a course of antibiotics,  but if you are not then taking in your diet prebiotics by way of fermented foods and drinks like Ninxia Red,  it’s sort of a waste of time as the job of prebiotics is to feed the probiotics - the good bacteria in your gut.  

The important thing is that once you start with MSM – or Sulfurzyme, you need to continue it – I have had dozens of testimonials to say that when people forget to take it, their joints soon remind them!   Human studies have shown that MSM enters the blood very quickly and will start working within 30-45 minutes.  Most people will begin to notice the effects of Sulfurzyme within two weeks of supplementation, but individual results may vary and are dependent on serving size and formulation.  

The formulation of Sulfurzyme, with the additional wolfberries as a prebiotic, puts this supplement in my top 5 supplements which the over 60s should be taking every day - and also forms part of my : 

Joint & Mobility Health Protocol which is part of my Savvy Seniors VIP group!  




PS
Did you know that I have a free on line community
addressing the health & well being for the over 60s
My group is called the Savvy Seniors!  
Nutrition Consultant & Clinical Aromatherapist

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Vitamin C - What is the optimal dose?

Vitamin C - What is the optimal dose?
There has been thousands of clinical trials made about Vitamin C with the consensus being that it is probably the safest of all the food supplements you can take.  

Many people will argue why take supplements at all when you can get all the vitamins and minerals you need from diet alone?  

Well sadly, it is very difficult to get all the nutrients you need from today's 'food'.  Our fresh fruit and vegetables contain significantly less nutrients than they used to, and will depend on where grown, the conditions of soil and when harvested.  Many fruits are picked before they are ripe (before the vitamin C has developed fully), and then artificially ripened before being put on our supermarket shelves - if you are lucky a small orange will contain up to 50mg of vitamin C, but if you are unlucky, it may contain none at all.  

Our bodies can't make Vitamin C, we lost the ability to do so about 25 million years ago! which is why it is paramount that you are conscious of how much you are taking every day either through your food (a guesstimate)  or supplements.  

In December 2014 a new European Union (EU) regulation came into effect. The new regulation changed the way in which nutritional information should be displayed on food products in relation to vitamins and minerals. Many people are still unaware of the change which has led to confusion as they are still searching for the original ' RDA' (Recommended Daily Allowance) which the new regulation has now replaced. 

The  RDA term is still used, but not for vitamins and minerals. It will be used for instance in the amount of calories which should be consumed per day. e.g.  women are recommended to consume 2,000 calories per day and men 2,500 calories. RDA's still extend across the main macro-nutrients including fat, carbohydrates and protein as well as salt and fluids, but have been replaced by NRV's when it comes to vitamins and minerals. (Nutrient Reference Value).

So, what's the difference between RDA's and NRVs then? None they are exactly the same! (so why change the name I ask myself!)   

Here is a quick review of some of vitamin C’s hundreds of biochemical roles 
  • Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen - the inter-cellular glue that keeps skin, lungs, arteries, the digestive tract and all organs intact. 
  • Vitamin C supports our immune system.
  • Vitamin C supports our cardiovascular system.
  • It is a potent antioxidant protecting against free radicals, pollution, carcinogens, heavy metals, and other toxins. 
  • It is strongly anti-viral and mildly anti-bacterial. 
  • Energy cannot be made in any cell, brain or muscle without adequate vitamin C.
  • The adrenal glands have a high concentration of vitamin C, which is essential for stress hormone synthesis. 
  • Vitamin C is so central in so many chemical reactions in the body that, without it, life is simply not possible.
Why do I recommend and use myself the Young Living range of supplements?  Because, like the Seed to Seal promise with our essential oils, YLs supplement range are one of the best out there!  with absolutely no nasties to be found!  

Super C Tablets
When you use isolated Vitamin C you are only getting a small amount of its intended benefits. Vitamin C works best when it is consumed as the whole fruit or vegetables.  Fruit purchased at the grocery store is likely to be depleted of vital nutrients as they were often picked weeks prior to them ending up in your home. Vine-ripening is the best form of whole fruit nutrition, but if you do not live on or near a farm that allows you to pick ripe fruit and eat it the same day, then you are eating vitamin depleted fruit.

Bioflavonoids are a key part of the whole fruit. They help enhance vitamin C action. 
Bioflavonoids are known to support blood circulation and help decrease free-radical damage in the body and because they are so good at placating anti-oxidative stress, they are able to help support inflammatory conditions in the body.

Super C from Young Living allows you to get all the benefits of vine-ripened fruit with all the beneficial  bioflavonoids without travelling to a farm to pick your own. 

Super C Tablets contain a few additional ingredients to the Chewable Vitamin C (which we can't get in Europe) -  such as Rutin flower bud powder, Cayenne fruit powder, Orange peel oil, Tangerine rind oil, Grapefruit peel oil, Lemon peel oil, and Lemongrass leaf oil. It contains the added benefits of di-calcium phosphate, zinc, manganese, and potassium.

Rutin is a powerful antioxidant that can help support circulation and help strengthen and increase flexibility of blood vessels. It is also known to suppress oxidative stress. 

Cayenne fruit (cayenne pepper) helps to boost metabolism and contains several other incredible benefits such as it aids digestion, supports joints and muscles, and reduces blood sugar levels.

Essential oils in the Super C Tablets allow for better bio-availability of the entire supplement by helping to increase the bioflavonoid activity.

Super C not only contains 1440% of the recommended dietary intake of vitamin C per serving (the NVR is currently  60mg for non-smoking men and women), but it is also fortified as stated above, with rutin, citrus bioflavonoids, and minerals to balance electrolytes and enhance the effectiveness and absorption of vitamin C.* 

The essential oils that are added may also increase bioflavonoid activity. 

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins required by our bodies. The ingredients in Super C play a role in normal immune and circulatory functions, help to strengthen connective tissues, and promote overall health, vitality, and longevity.* Because our bodies cannot manufacture vitamin C, everyone can benefit by consuming this powerful antioxidant daily.

  • For reinforcing immune strength, take 2 tablets daily. 
  • For maintenance, take 1 tablet daily. 
  • For 'optimal dose' take up to bowel tolerance.  This means when your bowel movements are soft, but not too soft.  I would take an 'optimal dose' if you are recovering from an illness or before surgery, and I would recommend you just do an 'optimal dose' a couple of times a year as a top up.  Otherwise as above for maintenance or for reinforcing immune strength.  
  • Best if taken before meals.

Free of common allergens. No artificial colours, flavors, preservatives, salt, sugar, starch, corn, wheat, yeast, or soy products.

Suzie Webb
Nutrition Consultant & Clinical Aromatherapist 
Suzie Webb Wellness

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Young Living products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Cannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System

Cannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System

Cannabinoids & the Endocannabinoid System   

                                       

What are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are a group of fat soluble molecules that are produced naturally in all humans and almost all animals, except insects. Cannabinoids are found in a variety of plants, with the hemp plant being the most prolific. 

The first ever cannabinoid was discovered in 1895, when scientist Thomas Wood was able to isolate and identify this from the hemp plant. It wasn’t until 1964 that researchers began to understand more about the nature of cannabinoids and identified the psychoactive cannabinoid, THC. 

In the mid-1990s, researchers identified the body’s own endocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This is a cannabinoid receptor system that helps regulate homeostasis in the human body.

Endocannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)

The most well-known cannabinoid produced by the human body is anandamide.  Cannabinoids regulate intracellular communication and modulate/coordinates homeostasis in systems such as the central nervous, cardiovascular, immune, endocrine, respiratory, reproductive and musculoskeletal systems. 

The ECS is thus one of the body’s largest signal systems. 

There are currently two identified types of cannabinoid receptors, CB1 receptors (found mostly in the brain but also cardiovascular system), and CB2 receptors (found mostly in the immune system and central nervous system). This is being expanded with a new type called CB3 receptors.

Cannabinoids in the Hemp Plant

The hemp plant has the most unique and varied range of cannabinoids. Today there are around 130 cannabinoids identified in the hemp plant. These include THCA, CBG, CBN and CBA.

I have been studying this whole area of interest over the past year, the endocannabinoid system in general and the exhaustive range of product available, and I've tried many - the good, the bad and the ugly!   I've visited companies, asked for scientific reports and have learned so much its mind blowing!  

Watch this space for some very exciting news in this area being announced next month from Suzie Webb Wellness!  


Suzie Webb
Nutrition Consultant & Clinical Aromatherapist 
Suzie Webb Wellness

 
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