Mundane superfoods – part 3
Continue my series (see part 1 and part 2) on swapping exotic superfoods for more readily available and cheaper but just as nutritious alternatives, this week I turn my attention to Wheatgrass.
Chickweed: The New Wheatgrass
As green as any grass you’ve ever seen, wheatgrass has been a main event in health food circles for decades. People will line up to pay big bucks for a small shot of the stuff, which tastes pretty much like you’d imagine, similar to the aroma of new-mown hay; as one company describes it, “unfamiliar, but not unpleasant.”
Several of this commodity’s features include fighting aging by revitalizing skin cells, cleansing the blood and fighting tumors. Clinical studies show that it contains 90 minerals, 20 essential amino acids, 13 vitamins and 80 enzymes.
But it’s the 70 percent ratio of chlorophyll, structurally similar to red blood cells (hemoglobin), that makes it a superfood. World Lifestyle notes that once it’s absorbed, it converts to hemoglobin, mimicking red blood cells and carrying oxygen to vital areas of your body, and may even kill off cancer cells because “cancer cells can’t survive and thrive in oxygen-rich environments.”
But get this: Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a wild, edible plant growing prolifically in every area of the world other than those that are coldest, like Antarctica. Besides decreasing insect damage to other plants, it’s chockfull of many vitamins, minerals and, like wheatgrass, chlorophyll. Chickweed stems and flowers can be used raw in salads and sandwiches, tossed into soups and stews or added to cooked dishes (but at the end as the stems and leaves are delicate).
Frontier foragers learned that when they gathered chickweed, almost exclusively in the spring, it was useful as both food and medicine. As a food, Foraged Foodie observes, the raw form is covered with a fine layer of fibers, which are minimized when they’re gently chopped and sautéed or wilted. Natural medicine expert Dr. Josh Axe notes:
“Chickweed is taken by mouth to treat stomach problems, intestinal complaints such as constipation, disorders of the blood, arthritis, lung diseases including asthma, kidney disorders, inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract, rabies, and scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. It is also used to relieve extreme exhaustion. Chickweed is applied on the skin relieve various skin conditions such as skin wounds, ulcers, burns, arthritis pain and symptoms of eczema.”
References
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Thai massage can help with Parkinson’s symptoms
Parkinson's disease affects 1 in 350 people in the UK (Parkinson's UK, 2018). A ransomised controlled trail allocated 30 patients with Parkinson's and muscle weakness to receive either six Thai massage treatments in three weeks alongside standard medical care or standard medical care alone. Patients in the Thai masage group showed significant improvements in their peak flexion torque, peak extension torque and time to maximal flexion speed. In conclusion the Thai massage study suggested Thai massage could help improve arm muscle strenght in people with Parkinsons. References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934701/
Do you have tight hips? – Part 2
I know many of my clients sit at a desk for very long hours which can lead to tight hips. So in this post I want to show you how to stretch them.
How to stretch your hips
Single knee hugging Lying on your back, grab your right knee and pull it toward your chest until you feel a stretch. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat on the left side. Bilateral knee hugging Lying on your back, grab both knees and pull them toward your chest. Hold for 20 seconds. "Cobra pose" Lie face down on the floor, hands parallel to your shoulders. Straighten your arms, lifting your upper torso off the floor. Your lower back should be arched, with your pelvis making contact with the floor. Hold for 20 seconds, then lower yourself back down Hip flexion with abduction/adduction Lying on your back, bring one knee up toward your chest. Holding your knee with both hands, roll your knee from one side to the other for 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side. External hip rotation Lying on your back, pull your right knee toward your chest. Place your right hand on the knee and your left hand on the ankle. Gently pull your right ankle in the direction of your head. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on your left leg. Internal hip rotation Lying face down, bend your knees 90 degrees and let your feet fall outward. Hold for 30 seconds. If after trying these stretches you are still strugling with tight hips why not book a deep tissue massage.My top exercise
My top exericse, is very underrated, it is walking, I love it. Here is why. 1. Walking is good for everyone. Doctors agree including the elderly, morbidy obese, arhritic and pregnant women. Walking is gentle enough for most people who have these conditions and the activity can help ease the pain of chronic illness. 2. Walking is free and easy - no expensive gym fees and no equipment needed! 3. Walking is linked to lower rates of obesity. People who walk to work are less likely to be obese, 30 minutes walking a day burns 150 calories.. A 2015 study found that even walking just 20 minutes a day can reduce your risk of premature death by 30%. 4. Walking prevents diabetes as it helps regulates blood sugar levels, which in turn keeps insulin levels low at diabetes at day. A 15 minute walk after a meal is all that is need to help regulate blood sugar levels. 5. Walking is good for year heart. A 2013 study found that walkers who cover the same mileage as runners enjoy comparable reductions in high blood pressure, high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. While it took twice as long for walkers to cover the distance, walking may be a more sustainable and accessible activity than running for most people, especially those who are new to exercise. 6. Walking helps you get a good nights sleep. Travel experts adivse when you arrive at a new city on the day you arrive to walk around. The reason is that you expose your body to sunlight and saying outside until it grows dark helps you to recalibarte the hormone melatonin to your new time zone. As melatonin rises so does feelings of sleepiness. 7. Walking improves your mood protecting you from both anxiety and depression. Moving your body is a well-known way to release endorphins, a set of feel-good chemicals that dull pain receptors in the brain, sedate you and even give you feelings of happiness and euphoria. That’s why exercise in general, and walking in particular, is recommended to help improve symptoms of mild to moderate depression. A 2005 study found that walking briskly for 35 minutes five times a week, or 60 minutes three times a week, had a significant influence on mild to moderate depression symptoms. References 2015 Study see >> https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/552048/Brisk-20-minute-walk-each-day-could-reduce-risk-early-death 2013 Study see >> http://time.com/3668654/exercise-obesity-walking-premature-death/ Exercise for depression study see >> https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/for-depression-prescribing-exercise-before-medication/284587/ and the 2005 study see >> https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression
