The Breakfast Dilemma

The Breakfast Dilemma   

For years now, since I left home  and started living on my own really (and that’s 10 years now), my morning have started the same every day. With an indecision, a dilemma, a quandary...what should I have for breakfast?

I’m sure I’m not alone in my breakfast struggle. My appetite first thing in the morning isn’t large, but also I can’t hold off until lunchtime. I want something healthy, light, fairly quick and delicious of course. Bread leaves me bloated and I don’t want all the sugar that cereals contain.

In the last year however I have discovered some amazing breakfasts that suit my lifestyle, are super healthy, are easy to make and taste great.

So here are a few of my absolute fave’s…

Chia Pudding

A new favourite with a number of the healthy cook books this is so simple to make and you can alter the flavour  depending on what goodies you’ve got in your cupboard to go with it. I love mixing it up between coconut and cacao powder, summer berries or  warm spices (cinnamon, ginger etc). Simply soak 1 tbs of chia seeds in 3 tbs nut milk of your choice. Leave for 15/20 minutes to gelatinise then mix with fruit, nuts, seeds and super food powders to taste.

Breakfast Bars

There are great because you can make a batch to last you all week. Not restricted to being bar shaped, I tend to go for pattie style squashed balls ;)

The base ingredients for these are rolled oats, flax seeds and chia seeds. Blend 1 cup oats in the food processor to make a crumble/flour texture. Mix this in a big bowl with 2 cups oats, ½ cup flax seeds, 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 cup dried fruits. I love mixing figs, apricots, dates, goji berries and mulberries.

In a separate bowl make a chia gel (soak chia’s for 15 mins,  1 tbs chia to 3 tbs water). Once gelatinous add to the food processor with ½ cup apple sauce and ½ cup raw agave or pure maple  syrup.

Once blended add this to the big bowl and stir all ingredients together well. Mold in to equal balls and squish in to pattie shapes. Bake in the oven for 20 mins on 180 and store in a air tight container. Yummy!!

Berry Smoothie

The perfect choice for those with very little appetite in the mornings, a really easy drinkable brekkie that you can cram  full of nutrients and super food powders.

Best made fresh every morning this recipe is for a big vitamix style blender so adapt if using a 1 cup blender.

Add all ingredients to the blender and pulse until smooth…

1 handful strawberries

1 handful Raspberries

1 handful blueberries

1 banana

1 pint coconut milk (or almond/hemp milk)

2 tbs maca powder

1 tsp maqui/acai powder

1 tbs lucuma powder

3 medjool dates

½ lemon squeezed

Since discovering the variety of healthy breakfasts available, my mornings have been revolutionised. So why not start the day by giving your body what it needs, a blast of vitamins, minerals and fibre. there are tonnes of other amazing breakfasts you can try, from home made raw granola to fruit salad. More recipes to come, make sure you give us a thumbs up if you found this useful.

Enjoy!

By Sophia Harvey

Superfoods Good for your Brain

Chia means strength and Chia Seeds contains large amount of omega-3, calcium, antioxidants, iron, protein, fibre, and potassium which gives energy and stamina for the brain.

Acai is known to enhance brain health and improve cognitive abilities, packed with antioxidants with ORAC, omega-3, vitamins, and protein.

Goji Berries are said to improve the sharpness of your brain and help you retain information more efficiently and may help in reducing damaging inflammation of the brain as well as reducing the accumulation of toxins in the brain.

Spirulina also has many brain improving benefits, it is said to reduce the degeneration of the brain and prevents brain damage and studies have shown that it can reverse damage done to the brain from process of ageing.

Cacao has lots of minerals and nutrients that help boost the brains neurotransmitters and creates serotonin (the hormone that makes you happy) that keeps you calm. It has to raw to get the most nutritional benefit.

Maca is a fabulous superfood is known to improve the brains neurochemistry and helps fight against depression, stress, anxiety and acts as a mood enhancer.

Coconut is known as a great fuel to enhance healthy brain function with its rich source of medium chain triglycerides (MCT). 

Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) go straight to your liver to be processed into ketones which are then sent to the brain to be used for fuel. Being a stable fuel supply, coconut is considered to be great fuel for your brain by supporting your brain’s learning capabilities and memory retention.

Curcumin which comes from Turmeric shows neuroprotective properties and is said to help neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer's. 

What are Prebiotics good for 

in your intestines?

What are Prebiotics good for in your intestines

Prebiotic's

Prebiotic's are fermentable  non-digestible food ingredients that feed and stimulate the growth of the friendly bacteria (probiotics) in your large intestines.  Probiotics are the good bacteria that help your body maintain health.

There are 3 types of prebiotics. . . preshort-chain, long-chain, and full-spectrum.

1. Short-chain” prebiotic's, e.g. oligofructose, contain 2 to 8 links per saccharide molecule and are typically fermented more quickly in the right side of the colon providing nourishment to the friendly bacteria in that area.

2. Longer-chain prebiotic's  e.g. inulin, contain 9 to 64 links per saccharide molecule, and tend to be fermented more slowly, nourishing bacteria predominantly in the left side of the colon.

3. Full spectrum preiotics provide the full range of molecular link-lengths from 2 to 64 links per molecule, and nourish bacteria throughout the colon, e.g. Oligofructose-Enriched Inulin (OEI).

There is evidence to suggest that prebiotics can play a part in reducing irritable bowel symptoms, improve regularity, boost your immune system as well as impart positive changes on many other stomach related problems.

Prebiotic's also helps with calcium absorption into the bones, helping to reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis.

Where do we find prebiotics in food?

Bananas, onions, chicory root, garlic, asparagus, barley, wheat, and leeks.

Where do we find prebiotics in Superfoods?

Baobab Fruit Powder & Coconut Palm Sugar

Amazing Raw Chocolate and Coconut Cheesecake

This amazing recipe was designed and made by my daughter Sophia who is a Raw Food Chef in training. I am the lucky one at the moment as its in my fridge disappearing into happy tummy. Its cake without the cream sin!!!

Ingredients

Nutty Base
1 cup nuts of your choice – e.g. hazelnuts / brazil nuts / almonds
1 cup dates
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

‘Cheese’ Cake Filling
3 cups raw soaked cashews (soak overnight and drain)
1 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup water or coconut water for extra coconuttyness
1 cup coconut palm sugar
3/4 cup organic nut butter of your choice (we went for hazelnut)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
5 tablespoon raw cacao powder

Directions
Base: Put the nuts, dates and melted coconut oil in to a blender and wizz until mixture is thick and sticky. Push the mixture in to a cake tin, ensuring it is spread evenly and refrigerate until set.

Filling: Add the cashew nuts, water (or coconut water) and coconut oil in to a blender and mix until smooth. Continue to add agave, vanilla powder, raw cacao powder and nut butter - the mixture should form a consistent and gooey paste. Pour this on top of the nutty base and again refrigerate until set. Yummy!

www.detoxtrading.co.uk

Coffee is not a Super Food

WARNING - Coffee Drinkers Please Don’t Read This

 

Coffee is not a Super Food

Coffee Drinkers Please Don’t Read Thi

Sorry about this post – I used to love Coffee – I was addicted to it and yet giving it up these past 7 years has been one of the best caring for my health decision I have made.

Coffee stimulates the production of adrenaline, one of the hormones secreted by the adrenal glands to help us in extreme emergency situations. Our adrenals evolved to give our early ancestors the extra strength and alertness needed to escape a saber tooth tiger attack, but we don’t often need that much adrenaline these days. Coffee constantly stimulates the production of adrenaline, putting excessive wear and tear on the adrenal glands.

The caffeine in coffee increases the stimulating neurohormone, noradrenaline, and reduces the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin.

 

 

Caffeine does not provide energy – only chemical stimulation. The perceived energy comes from the body’s struggle to adapt to increased blood levels of stress hormones… Using coffee for mood enhancement is a short-term blessing and a long-term curse. While the initial adrenal stimulation may provide a transient anti-fatigue ‘lift,’ caffeine’s ultimate mood effect is a letdown, either subtle or profound.

Coffee is not a food, it is not a drink – it’s a poison. It’s a “mild” drug containing a whole array of toxic substances. In addition to caffeine, coffee contains hundreds of volatile substances including more than 200 acids. These the body must reject by a great expense of energy, which is the strange stimulation perceived as “energy.” “Caffeine is a biological poison used by plants as a pesticide. The caffeine gives seeds and leaves a bitter taste, which discourages their consumption by insects and animals. If predators persist in eating a caffeine-containing plant, the caffeine can cause central nervous system disruptions and even lethal side effects. Most pests soon learn to leave the plant alone.”

Caffeine is a poison for the liver. But caffeine is not the only toxic substance in coffee. “Remember that coffee contains a host of chemicals, not just caffeine, among them a group of extremely toxic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). You might remember them as the cancer-causing agents isolated from barbecued meat.”

Cherniske explains your body’s “perspective” of this constant state: “Imagine you lived in a country that was always under threat of attack. No matter where you went, there was a perpetual state of alert. Not only that, but your defenses were constantly being depleted and weakened. Does that sound stressful? Caffeine produces the same effect on your body, like fighting a war on multiple fronts at the same time.” Cherniske calls your body’s constant state of alert “caffeinism,” which is characterized by fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, irritability and depression.

 

READ: Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske

The caffeine in coffee increases the stimulating neurohormone, noradrenaline, and reduces the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin.

Caffeine does not provide energy – only chemical stimulation. The perceived energy comes from the body’s struggle to adapt to increased blood levels of stress hormones… Using coffee for mood enhancement is a short-term blessing and a long-term curse. While the initial adrenal stimulation may provide a transient anti-fatigue ‘lift,’ caffeine’s ultimate mood effect is a letdown, either subtle or profound.

Coffee is not a food, it is not a drink – it’s a poison. It’s a “mild” drug containing a whole array of toxic substances. In addition to caffeine, coffee contains hundreds of volatile substances including more than 200 acids. These the body must reject by a great expense of energy, which is the strange stimulation perceived as “energy.” “Caffeine is a biological poison used by plants as a pesticide. The caffeine gives seeds and leaves a bitter taste, which discourages their consumption by insects and animals. If predators persist in eating a caffeine-containing plant, the caffeine can cause central nervous system disruptions and even lethal side effects. Most pests soon learn to leave the plant alone.”

Caffeine is a poison for the liver. But caffeine is not the only toxic substance in coffee. “Remember that coffee contains a host of chemicals, not just caffeine, among them a group of extremely toxic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). You might remember them as the cancer-causing agents isolated from barbecued meat.”

Cherniske explains your body’s “perspective” of this constant state: “Imagine you lived in a country that was always under threat of attack. No matter where you went, there was a perpetual state of alert. Not only that, but your defenses were constantly being depleted and weakened. Does that sound stressful? Caffeine produces the same effect on your body, like fighting a war on multiple fronts at the same time.” Cherniske calls your body’s constant state of alert “caffeinism,” which is characterized by fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, irritability and depression.

READ: Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske.

New Blog on Superfoods

I love the world of Super Foods, and being a passionate health freak, keen to share this passion through knowledge and ultimately supplying the wonderful world of foods that enhance and heal. . . I have been dragged and pulled through the Goji Berry bush to get my business of selling superfoods  up into the hip cyber speed by starting this blog, doing the facebook thing and getting active in twitter.

Truth be told I am a bit of a geek and yet the speed of change in this cyber world is hard to keep up with, as a sole trader, running a self fulfilling ethical life within the online world. So I have my 25 year old daughter to manage the twitter/facebook side of things – their elastic brains are much better suited for this game.

About Me

Detox Trading is run by me, Amida Harvey, as a sole trader. I started this business in 2007, because I noted that the superfoods I was recommending to our clients of Sura Detox (Co-run week long fasting business – see below), were very expensive on the web and also some products were difficult to get hold of.

My first product was the humble hemp seeds, which I use to make hemp milk for a morning smoothie & I have expanded my range slowly over the past 6 years. I am committed to sourcing good products & maintaining our Soil Association Certification for organic quality. My personal belief is that I can only sell what I am passionate about, so I’ll try not to sell just anything because it’s says its good on the tin. So when you order, you get me, I source, process orders, pack boxes, ship and I am on the end of the phone for questions.