Kimchi Recipe

Kimchi Recipe

Following on from the previous post on the importance of gut health, we have included our very own recipe for making this probiotic rich food at home.

You can really play around and substitute different ingredients and use up what you have in the cupboard- you can even add things like seaweed, fennel, jerusalem artichoke, beetroot! 

Ingredients 

1 cabbage (you can use any kind, but the typical one is napa or sweetheart)
1 daikon radish
2 carrots
2 onions (you can add spring onions or leeks as well)
3/4 cloves of garlic
3/4 hot red chillies (or you can use the typical korean chilli paste- Gochugaru)
3/4 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 

Sea salt 


- Make a brine by mixing 4 tablespoons of salt per litre of filtered water- the brine should taste very salty.
- Chop the cabbage, radish and carrots (and any other veg you want to include). 
- Soak the chopped veggies in the brine, for a few hours at least, and best overnight. Use a plate to make sure they're all covered keep any veggies from submerging.
-Create a paste with the spices - onion, garlic, chilli, ginger (again adding any extras you may want eg turmeric, coriander or dill seeds). You can either blend this all together or use a pestle and mortar. 
- Once the vegetables have soaked, remove from the brine keeping the brine handy as you may need it later on.
- Taste the veggies, they should taste salty but not unpleasantly salty. If they are too salty you can rinse them, or if you can't taste any salt then add a couple of teaspoons and mix well. 
-Mix the veggies with the spice paste, making sure they are all coated. 
- Stuff everything in a sterilised glass jar making sure to compress the veg so its all submerged. You can put a plate on top to help, or use a bag filled with water. 
- Leave to ferment in a warm place for three days or longer- this part is up to your taste buds. Once it is to your taste take out and put in the fridge where it will continue to ferment slowly.
- Enjoy!

You can add a little with your meals everyday and this will really help support that good bacteria in your gut! YUM!

All About Gut Health

How to love your gut

All about your gut health, its links to mental health and what you can do to nourish your gut bacteria.

Research has now confirmed that our gut microbiome could be the key to our health. The microbiome is a collection of 100 trillion micro organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi which live in our gut. They are so vital to our health that the microbiome is now being considered as another vital organ that can affect digestion, mood, hormone balance, the immune system and cognitive function. The gut supports a healthy immune response, and in turn helps to fight off harmful bacteria and viruses and maintain a healthy and balanced state of health.

There is strong evidence that suggests an indisputable link between our gut health and mental health. The microbiome and central nervous system interact with each other to help regulate stress, anxiety and memory. It is no coincidence that we often feel 'butterflies' in our stomach when we are nervous or excited and use the phrase 'trust your gut'; this is because scientists are now finding that there is in fact, a direct link between the two organs. 

Research has found that one bacteria in particular 'bifidio bacterium longum' dampens down the stress response, which decreases anxiety and can help to improve overall mood. This strain can be found in most probiotic supplements as well as in a variety of food. This suggests that by nurturing our gut microbiome we are in fact also helping to improve our general mood, reduce anxiety and live a happier, healthier day to day life.

One of the key factors in supporting the gut bacteria is diversity- this means eating a wide range of foods and increasing fibre intake. 


5 ways to support your gut health

Fermented foods: Increase your intake of fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut. You can do all of these at home, as a starter you may need kefir grains or a kombucha scoby. Plenty of people give them away, so do check in your local community.
Check our other post for our recipe on a homemade kimchi- you can experiment with any ingredients you have in your fridge (I have even included seaweed in one of my krauts- it was incredible!).



Fibre: Eat a fibre rich diet, including as many wholegrains as possible, plenty of fruit and lots of nuts and seeds. Foods especially rich in fibre include lentils, chickpeas, artichokes, broccoli, chia seeds and oats amongst others. 

Avoid processed foods: Avoiding foods with lots of chemicals and artificial sweeteners- making recipes from scratch at home is a good way to do this. Try to reduce your refined sugar intake as much as possible. If you do have a sweet tooth, you can substitute with a natural sugar lower on the GI (glycemic index) such as coconut palm sugar or agave syrup. 

Get dirty: Scientists are recommending farm visits, getting hands dirty in the soil and playing with animals. Introducing our microbiome to varied forms of bacteria helps to strengthen it which in turn strengthens the immune system. As if we needed another excuse to get in the garden!

Probiotic Supplements: Taking a daily probiotic supplement is a great way to ensure your body is getting as much good bacteria as possible. 

Winter wellness tips

Winter wellness tips

It's that time of year when we are most inspired to take a look at our health and habits and create new positive resolutions for the year ahead. Whether you've decided to improve your diet, go organic or finally start that class you've had your eye on, we have 5 suggestions that may help you feel great and beat the winter blues!

Boost your immunity: Avoid catching nasty bugs this winter by helping to keep your immune system strong and healthy. You can do this by supplementing daily with vitamin C, zinc, eating a varied diet filled with leafy green vegetables, and exercising regularly even in the cold! It's also important to make sure you're getting enough sleep, doctors advise a solid 8 hours is the ideal for our bodies and brains to fully function.

Green Tea: The perfect caffeine alternative if you are planning to cut down on coffee this month. It actually has a higher level of caffeine than coffee however our body can process it better than our favourite caffeinated drink. It is also full of antioxidants and rich in polyphenols which help with inflammation as well as a great stimulation for the brain! 



Try making your own matcha latte with our premium and ceremonial grade matcha powder:
https://www.detoxtrading.co.uk/matcha-green-tea-powder.htm


To make a matcha latte, just mix one teaspoon of matcha with your favourite milk, heat in a pan then whisk for the full frothy effect. Sweeten with honey or agave syrup.


Vitamin D: The sun is in short supply at this time of year, so its important to give your body a steady supply of vitamin D. You can buy vitamin D tablets, or try adding more mushrooms to your diet which are rich in vitamin D. There is a high level of vitamin D in almond milk.

Take up a new hobby: Stimulate and excite your mind by taking up a new hobby, whether its knitting, rock climbing, or learning a new language this will challenge you and give you something to look forward to. 






Ashwagandha: A wonderful adaptogen which can help to fight feelings of anxiety, stress or depression. If you feel like you need a little extra lift to see you through to spring, this popular superfood can give you the support you need. 

December News Bulletin

December News Bulletin

We hope you are all enjoying the festive season and looking forward to Christmas and 2019!

We're happy to announce that we have finally got a few products back in stock that we know a lot of you have been patiently waiting for, and an exciting new product in stock. We want to introduce our new superfood starter pack. We’ve also included our top recommendations for staying healthy and flu free over the winter, read on below to find out more. 

You will be pleased to know that we now have organic Panax Ginseng, organic Aronia powder and Rehmmania powder back in stock. We know many of you have been waiting a while for these products. Get your orders in now for delivery before christmas. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Detox Trading team!

Check out our latest newsletter video

  New in Stock  

Coconut Milk Powder

 

The perfect dairy alternative, this organic coconut milk powder is GMO free and produced from freshly squeezed coconut mik. It retains much of the nutritional value of fresh coconut milk, and has an incredible flavour and aroma. The perfect addition for your kitchen cupboard.

---

 New in Stock 

Superfood Starter Pack 

Our starter pack contains what we consider to be the essential selection superfoods for overall health and wellbeing. It contains organic ashwagandha powder, orgnic spirulina powder, organic raw cacao powder, organic coconut oil and organic maca powder. If you are new to superfoods and not sure where to start, this is the one for you. It is packaged in a sustainable kraft gift box with eco friendly packaging so also makes a beautiful gift. The pack comes with a 'How to' guide outlining the potential benefits and how to use each product.

 Detox Trading Health Tips for the winter 

The winter brings a variety of bugs, and it can be easy to feel like you are constantly fighing off a cold. We have chosen our top superfoods to help boost your immunity and stay healthy this season...

Chaga: An incredible all round immune booster, it also has anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps detoxify the blood and liver, and is an adaptogen so is the perfect support for the body and the mind throughout the winter months. 

Camu Camu: The largest natural source of vitamin C, our camu camu is 7% vitamin C- one of the highest on the market. It can be difficult to get enough vitamin C in the winter months, and it is a vital ingredient to help the body's immune defence. Camu Camu is also extremely high in antioxidants and can also help with chronic fatigue and depression. 

Oregano oil: It is known to have a whole range of health benefits important during the cold and flu season such as being an anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and is also loaded with antioxidants. 

Alongside taking daily supplements, make sure you get enough sleep, eat a balanced and healthy diet (as much as possible!), and exercise regularly to keep you healthy and happy this winter. 

Christmas Opening Times 

Our opening times will be affected during the christmas period, we will be open until 21st december then closed until 2nd January, when we'll be back in the office for business as usual. We will however be shipping out orders in between Christmas and New year.

 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Detox Trading Family 

Detox Trading November Newsletter

November Newsletter

We hope you have been enjoying the autumn and all the beautiful colours that come with it. We can certainly feel the seasons’ change, the darker and longer evenings have begun to set in, the mornings are forst filled and chillier. It’s the time of year when we put on our warm toasty slippers, dig out our hot water bottles and have mugs of warming drinks to help see us through the winter.


We had a fantastic response to our September competition and the £100 voucher went to Violet Michalik! We hope you enjoy your goodies. Thank you all for participating. Watch this space for more competitions!


We have been busy here at Detox Trading HQ tasting, mixing, and experimenting with delicious new products which we are excited to finally share with you.
New in stock, we have our 'Earth Hug' mushroom hot chocolate, organic mango powder, organic carrot powder, red yeast rice powder and last but definitely not least californian spirulina.


These products not only have some incredible health benefits but most of them also taste amazing, we're sure you will agree!


Read on below to find out more about our new products and have a watch of our latest video.
All the best and a Happy November from the Detox Trading team

Check out our latest newsletter video

---

  New in Stock  

Earth Hug Mushroom Hot Chocolate

We have been perfecting this recipe for a while and we can honestly say its absolutely delicious! It's a stimulating and warming seasonal drink, the perfect drink to see us through the autumn and winter months. It has our four favourite mushrooms in it: Lions Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga and Reishi. This magical combination is great for mental stimulation, immune boosting and overall feelings of happiness and wellbeing as well as a whole host of other benefits. We highly recommend giving it a try!

 BUY HERE 

---

  New in Stock  

Organic Mango Powder
 

A tropical treat, our freeze dried organic mango powder is bursting with vitamins and antioxidants. It has beta carotene and zeaxanthin which are known for supporting healthy eyes and vision, healthy skin and are also all round immune boosters. The perfect addition to your morning juices and smoothies- its a tasty treat.

 BUY HERE 

New in Stock   Organic Carrot Powder Brimming with carotenoids, our organic carrot powder is incredibly versatile and can  be used internally or externally. It has high levels of vitamins A and B which can help with circulation and boost the immune system. It is also used in skin prducts as it helps to  reduce scars and keep skin looking radiant.    BUY HERE    New in Stock    Red yeast rice powder Red yeast rice powder is a fermented product, made by fermenting a type of yeast with  rice. It has been used in chinese medicine for years as a digestive and circulatory aid,  it is now popular in relation to circulatory support. This product contains Monacolin K,  and comes with a few contraindications so we recommend doing your own research  before trying.  BUY HERE     New in Stock    Californian Spirulina Californian spirulina is perfect for those of you who have been eagerly waiting for the hawaiain to come back into stock. We have found it to be the same very high quality,  in colour, taste and texture!   BUY HERE

 Thank you for your continued support, from the Detox Trading Family 

Tips to help support a healthy brain

Our brain can sometimes be taken for granted, however it is one of the most important organs of our body. It’s our main source of storage for memories, learning and functioning on a daily basis.

We’ve put together a few tips to help you support the mind, and keep it active and healthy. 

 Sleep

Getting a solid 8 hours of sleep a night will help your brain to process the days events. New research has suggested that the brain actually spends the time we sleep removing toxins from the brain that have built up during the day- a type of housekeeping. A good sleep will help your brain to create new memories, and concentrate throughout the day.  

 Get physical

Even its its going for a short walk in nature, our brain benefits from physical exercise. Research has suggested that regular intensive exercise can improve the size of our hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and new learning. Exercise also produces endorphins which help to maintain good mental health. 

 Diet

Eating a balanced diet full of leafy green vegetables and omega 3,6 and 9, can help to support healthy brain function. Try to cut out eating too much sugar and alcohol as these can affect how well the brain is able to learn new things. 

 Managing Stress

Stress can have a serious detrimental effect on our brain, allowing some self care and relaxation will help to relieve this. Allowing yourself to take regular time out to do the things you love and that will nourish you is vital. 

 Meditation

A few minutes of meditation a day has been proven to help reduce mental health issues and improve clarity of mind, memory and focus. This can also be in the form of a regular yoga practice.

 Keep the brain active

The brain is a muscle, which thrives when it is being used. A great way to do this is to pick up a great book, practice sudoku or do the daily crossword to keep the muscle going.

 Supplements

Daily supplements can help to support brain function, here at detox trading I like to take

our organic Gotu Kola which improves blood flow to the brain and Lions Mane which is known for increasing memory. I can already notice a significant difference!