Spirulina is one of the early herbs (OK – it’s actually an algae!) which was hailed as a “superfood”.

Its advantages include its versatility and its unique nutritional profile.

Its versatility is that it can be either taken in tablets or used as a powder and mixed into any drinks – and the drink to mix it into is probably freshly juiced vegetables.

Nutritionally – it is one of the few vegetarian sources of complete protein – that is, it contains all eight of the essential amino acids. It also contains a myriad of other nutritional goodies including B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

One of its great health benefits is that some people find it helps to reduce any sort of craving. This is a useful benefit for a supplement which is so rich in nutrients anyway.

Some research also shows its benefits for cholesterol balance. Again – if you have cholesterol issues you might as well take spirulina as it has so many other nutritional benefits.

Personally, I take around 5 grams of spirulina a day, which equates to ten tablets.

A recent post about spirulina:
http://blisstree.com/eat/robyn-youkilis-what-is-spirulina-136/

Related articles

• Superfood of the Week: Spirulina (eatdrinkthrive.wordpress.com)

The Squeeze Juice Café in Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland, has made wheat grass juice for many years. They grow their own wheat grass using hydroponic technology. The problem they were experiencing was shelf life of the wheat grass juice: they found that it had to be drunk within 2 hours for maximum benefit.

However, working with a local research institute, they have managed to extend the shelf life to three weeks.

The key was the use of a pressure system to fill sachets, so avoiding the rapid oxidation which spoils the wheat grass juice.

This has proven to be popular both locally and over a new web site they have set up. They have also had export enquiries including from over the border in Southern Ireland.

Good luck to them!

Story from the Belfast Telegraph:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/cuttingedge-technology-helps-wheatgrass-company-grow-16114944.html

Related articles

• The healing effects of wheat grass juice and wheat grass extract. ~ Donna Earnest Preval (elephantjournal.com)

How do you chop garlic when using it for cooking?

Some people resort to a garlic press: others struggle to take off the papery skin and then chop it.

Personally, I go for the simple method.

That is certainly not a garlic press! You end up with a hard-to-clean gadget, when even a dishwasher leaves bits stuck in it.

And peeling garlic is just so time-consuming – so I don’t like that either.

My favourite solution to chop garlic is to take the flat of a large knife, place it over the clove of garlic and squash it with the heel of your hand. The garlic disintegrates, and you can easily peel away the skin. Now chop it a bit more and there you go!

I keep a small chopping board especially for garlic, onions, herbs and beetroot. The garlic and onions smell: the herbs can be easily transported to a saucepan when chopped: and the beetroot doesn’t discolour my main chopping board.

I hope you like this quick method of preparing your garlic. Yes – you might get a bit under your finger nails – but look on it as a bit of extra treatment with a great herb!

Related articles

• Home & Office : Garlic Zoom XL (thinkgeek.com)

A garlic-like smell caused 250 residents of Glendale, Arizona, USA, to phone the emergency services.

Was the wind blowing the wrong way from a local garlic farm? Did a garlic lorry overturn, spilling its load?

No – the problem probably stemmed from a local propane gas factory.

If it had been garlic it would, no doubt, have been beneficial for health. As it was, residents complained of headaches and itching eyes. One person had an asthma attack which may have been connected to the incident.

In a sign of the times, residents also visited the town’s Facebook page to complain.

Residents were advised to stay inside.

Story from Daily Mail, UK:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2107376/Hundreds-Glendale-residents-911-garlic-smell-blankets-Arizona-town.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Related articles

• Strange garlic-like odor sickens Phoenix residents (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Spirulina Tablets (Wikipedia)

Spirulina has a long history of being used as a food source.

What is Spirulina? Arthrospira – the Latin name – are free-floating filamentous cyanobacteria which contain cylindrical “trichomes” in an left-hand helix. They are found in  tropical and subtropical lakes with high acidity and high concentrations of carbonate and bicarbonate. There are two main varieties: Arthrospira platensis which occurs in Africa, Asia and South America, and the Arthrospira maxima variety, found in Central America.

Historical use

The Aztecs certainly harvested spirulina off lakes by skimming the surface with ropes and then drying the algae into square cakes which would be eaten as a nourishing food.

Spirulina was a food source for the Aztecs and others until the 16th century; its harvesting from Lake Texcoco and subsequent sale as cakes was described by one of Cortés’ soldiers. The Aztecs called spirulina “Tecuitlatl”.

Spirulina was found abundantly at Lake Texcoco by French researchers in the 1960s. There is no evidence at that time of it being used there as a regular food source after the 16th century. The first large-scale spirulina production plant, run by Sosa Texcoco, was established there in the early 1970s.

Spirulina may have an even longer history in Chad, as far back as the 9th century Kanem Empire, where it is in daily use today, dried into cakes called dihé, which are used to make broths for meals, and also sold in markets. Lake Chad provides a plentiful source of spirulina.

In the UK and America, spirulina tablets and powder are taken by many people every day. It is a high-protein supplement and it’s benefits for lowering cholesterol, whilst yet to be proven completely, have been strongly indicated in one study.

Lovely Garlic (Wikipedia)

Do you really like garlic? Really like it? Then forget garlic capsules – you need roast garlic, or even garlic soup!

Garlic is well known as an aid for the immune system. Indeed, it was used by the UK government during the 1914-1918 war to treat wounds on the battlefields. The population was asked to grow it for this purpose.

It was only with the development of antibiotics during the 1930s that using garlic fell out of fashion

If you don’t like actually eating garlic: then help is at hand – you can get high quality garlic capules these days. And if you hate the taste altogether, then avoid any hint of odour by using a low-odour garlic, but one which is high quality.

If you are a garlic fiend – like the person in this article – then roast a whole garlic slowly, and spread it on your bread.  And that’s where you will find the recipe for garlic soup too.

That’s a bit strong for me, though. I do like garlic ok – but restrict myself to adding one or two cloves (not bulbs!) to my cooking each night. That’s enough – in addition to my garlic supplement.

Related articles on Garlic

• Learn to Love: Garlic Scapes (fitsugar.com)
• How to Maximize Garlic’s Healing Potential (fitsugar.com)
• Fresh-Cut Garlic Reduces Risk of Heart Disease (shs100.net)

Spirulina Tablets for good health

Spirulina appears to have benefits for nerve health, a University of South Florida study shows.

The study was carried out on mice over a 10 week period who had their diets supplemented with spirulina.

At the end of the study, the mice showed a reduction in inflammation, indicated by markers in the blood, and also a lowered level of nerve damage than the control group.

Nerve damage is difficult to repair and anything that can help this process is to be welcomed. Spirulina is so nutritious, that it is well worth taking as a daily supplement in any case. This is just one more reason to take spirulina every day.

Do I take it every day? Yep! And here is the spirulina supplement I take.

I have 10 tablets every day, which is 5 grammes of spirulina. I like it for the benefits it has for cholesterol balance. But the possible support for the nervous system is just further encouragement to take it.

Picture of Garlic from 1983

Garlic is well-known to benefit the heart – and you have to watch that you get the best sort of Garlic so that it has not been de-natured though processing.

One solution to that is to use Power Garlic Capsules, which are carefully dried in a controlled way. The enzyme which catalyses the production of the vital allicin is removed temporarily to protect it: and then added back after drying. This makes each capsule equivalent to one whole clove of garlic.

The second way to ensure you get the best benefit it to use Garlic fresh. Yes – it’s a bit smelly! But research has shown that, apart from products which have used careful processing – such as the low-odor Power Garlic Capsules mentioned above – it is best to got for fresh garlic every time.

Garlic and Heart Health

Fresh cut garlic may ward off heart disease. Recent studies show that raw crushed garlic generates hydrogen sulfide. When eaten, this chemical can benefit users by relaxing blood vessels and allowing more blood to pass through the heart. Check out the video!

Does Alcohol Affect Digestion?

Those of you who like in glass of wine with their meal will be reassured to hear that, while alcohol can slow down digestion, it does not promote indigestion.

The study was carried out in a Zurich hospital, where 20 volunteers were fed a rich meal on two occasions, accompanied by either tea and then water, or alcoholic drinks.

Although the digestion process was slowed, there was no increase in problems such as heartburn, burping or bloating.

So it seems that, at least from a digestive point of view, you can safely continue to have a glass or two of wine with that meal.

Enjoy!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101214201525.htm

Related Articles on Alcohol and Digestion

• Indigestion and Heartburn (findmeacure.com)
• 5 Tips to Prevent Indigestion (foxnews.com)

Image by AJC1 via Flickr

Good bacteria reside in the colon in huge numbers. They are essential for good health of the colon.

When anybody takes antibiotics the natural colon flora are killed. What tends to happen following this, is that the unhealthy bacteria in the large intestines multiply before the good bacteria do. This is very unhealthy. And it is why it is highly recommended to take a course of healthy bacteria supplements following any antibiotic use.

Personally, I take a healthy bacteria supplement every day to keep my healthy bacteria “topped up”.

The overuse of antibiotics is causing problems with our health, including bacterial resistance. So, sometimes antibiotics are essential and can even present us dying. But other times, if they are not so vital, consider not taking antibiotics, so that this helps the natural bacteria in our large intestines, which would otherwise be killed.

Get healthy bowel flora supplement

Antibiotics Kill Your Good Bacteria !!!!!!

www.ihealthtube.com The overuse of antibiotics is causing problems with our health, including bacterial resistance. They kill off both the bad and good bacteria in our systems. The balance of bacteria in the gut needs to be restored.

Related articles on the immune system and acidophilus – healthy bacteria

• Power your Immune System (mtmhealthcare.wordpress.com)
• Should I Take Probiotics? (everydayhealth.com)