food for thought (natural body lovin')

food to help your brain stay healthy and work at it's best for longer.

so to start off: walnuts!
as the human brain is are made up of more than 60% structural fat, to help it function properly it needs a good source of omega-3 fats. these fats are found in bountiful supply in walnuts!
many keep away from nuts because of their high fat content, but research has shown that people that consume nuts twice a week are significantly less likely to gain weight than people who avoid nuts altogether.

some more body related walnut benefits:

• walnuts are also a good source of other essential minerals including calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vanadium and zinc.

• they are a source of bio-available (meaning your body can absorb it) melatonin, a hormone that is involved with the regulation of sleep, and is also a powerful antioxidant. so for a good nights sleep, nibble on a few walnuts for dessert.

• walnuts also help protect your bones, and nutritional research has reported the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of walnuts which reduce the risk of certain cancers (including breast and prostate cancer). 

• this research has placed walnuts high on the list of foods that reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular problems (by helping your blood vessels remain healthy), and type 2 diabetes.

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lemon water is the new black (saturday seconds and natural body lovin' combined)

when saturday seconds and natural body lovin' combines, you get health with the added benefits of a bargain! (oh, the dorky humour strikes again!)

i am an avid water drinker. one and a half to two litres a day, no problem. but what goes in, must come out! and let's just say, often. i was talking about this consequence of my love of hydration with a natural foodie friend of mine, and she suggested that i try putting lemon in my water to help my body absorb the water better, as she'd tried this and she had noticed immediate benefits.

so, me being me, i did a bit of research into lemon water, and whether it's worth the benefits.
and this is what i found:

• to begin with, lemon is an antiseptic and an antibacterial (one of the reasons your mum or grandma mixed it with warm water and honey to help relieve a sore throat)
• lemons are full of vitamin c! so consumption boosts your immune system.
• lemons are alkalising: now, this may sound foreign to some people, but the body's ideal pH is just a tiny bit above neutral (in the alkaline direction). however, the majority of people's diets are insanely high in acidic input (think anything high in sugar, or even more specific things like tea and certain fruits) leaving our bodies massively out of balance. this leads to a huge amount of issues because our body can not function properly in an acidic environment.
• lemon relieves heartburn, indigestion and bloating.
• many people say "oh but lemon is acidic". when you first ingest it, yes it is, but as your body processes it, it has an alkaline effect on the inside (where it counts).
• lemon is a detoxifier. drinking lemon water first thing in the morning stimulates the body's natural cleansing process.
• regularly drinking lemon water will help clear your skin. many toxins that build up in your colon find your way out of your body through your skin, resulting in acne breakouts and other allergy skin conditions. lemon water acts as a cleanser for your bowel, washing out toxins before they create any problems.
• lemon water helps with weight loss by acting as a blood sugar stabiliser that keeps your metabolism up (and boosting weight loss).
• lemon water has next to no calories, so it's a no guilt alternative to juice or the evil fizzy drink.
• lemons contain calcium, magnesium and potassium; three essential minerals for your body.
• and lemon juice has been known to relieve the symptoms of asthma.

so, in light of all of that, i went on an op shopping mission to find the following (essential ingredients for making lemon water):

• 1 fruit juicer

• 1 glass pitcher (keep it natural sister, no plastic for me)

• lemons

and what success i had! (i even found a stylised 'good fortune' kanji (japanese character) coaster to put my pitcher on after i've juiced. it was a dollar. i love it)

for one litre of water, juice half a lemon (pick out the seeds, unless you like your juice crunchy) and mix it in. the taste wasn't over powering, but it also wasn't weak enough to put me off (i hate weak drinks, haha).
initially it's a bid odd, but now that i am used to it i really enjoy it!

x

natural body lovin' part four

i'll give you a clue about this one...

 

roses!
pretty, romantic, fragrant. admittedly a beautiful combination of characteristics, but how are these supposed to help you heal your body naturally?
well after the petals fall away remains a seed pod, known as the hip, and from which oil is extracted.

the oil is known as rose hip oil, and is amazingly useful in terms of skin care (it's not actually your typical red roses that rose hip oil comes from, but they are pretty!).

rose hip oil is a literal gold mine of nutrients, including:

• vitamin a - which helps to manage oily skin, rehydrates dry skin, and assists in ironing out fine lines, wrinkles, even helping to smoothing out uneven skin tone.
• linoleic acid - this is vital for maintaining skin cell structure.
• oleic acid - helps to maintain supple skin, or return moisture to dry skin.
• linolenic acid - important for maintaining moisture and healthy cells.
• lycopene - protects your skin from free radical damage, preventing premature aging.
• beta-carotene - which is a source of pro vitamin a, and an antioxidant that helps to repair sun damaged skin.
• vitamin c- protects against free radical damage and plays a role in the formation of collagen (the main component of connective tissue in the human body).

it can be used by absolutely anyone, young or old, and all skin types (as it acts as a balancing agent). 
massage a few drops into your face and neck (or even just any problem areas) and rose hip oil can help to relieve the signs of premature aging, fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, stretch marks, eczema and psoriasis scars, hyper-pigmentation, dermatitis, burns, acne and chicken pox scarring, sun damage, dry skin, and improve skin elasticity, skin tone and skin resilience to the environment.

 i have been using it on dry patches and other bits and pieces (my skin often cracks if i haven't moisturised enough), and compared to before i came across it, my skins healing time is crazily reduced and my skin comes out beautiful and smooth after. i love it!

x

natural body lovin' part three

the next body lovin' installment comes in the form of this cute little bottle:

pretty smelling and indefinitely useful, i present to you: lavender oil.

lavender itself is a very basic scent used in a large range of products from air freshener to laundry detergent to simple perfume. however, it's uses extend beyond making different parts of yourself, your belongings and your home smell good.

as an essential oil, lavender is used in aromatherapy as a relaxation aid which also helps to reduce anxiety. it is also used to relieve tension headaches, coughs and respiratory problems when added to a vaporiser.
it can also be used as a mosquito repellent (i've never tried this one, so if you have, please leave a comment about how effective it is!)

lavender oil can also be applied to small cuts and burns for pain relief and as an antiseptic, plus it also aids with healing, reducing scarring.
oh, and for insect bites and stings (it helps with the bitey, stingy bit).

as a massage oil, lavender can help relieve joint and muscle pain.

all this from one little bottle! and from one pretty plant.

there have been media claims that lavender oil has properties that mimic sex hormones, but the evidence is shaky. if you have any concerns about these claims, i highly suggest doing some further research for yourself.

x