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!

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!