Frightful Food…Muwahahahaha

MUWAHAHAHAHA! Happy Halloween and a Spooky Samhain!
You want frights and spooks? Get a load of this little lot…some truly frightful food!

Fangs – Tooth decay is a real problem in our mini monsters. It’s not just trick or “treats” that can cause mischief. Don’t be fooled by no added sugar fruit juice cartons…they are rotten to the apple core with either artificial sweeteners which are so acidic they can affect tooth enamel, or full of “natural” fruit juices which is dangerously concentrated. Want your kids to have fruit juice? The perfect amount is conveniently wrapped up in a serving of fruit – an apple, some grapes or a tangerine. Quench their thirst with water.

Flesh – “Any animal flesh is the single causative dietary factor with colitis, Crohn’s and other inflammatory bowel disease. I have never seen a case of complete lasting healing of IBD where a person continued to eat meat” – Dr. David Klein, Director of the Colitis & Crohn’s Recovery Centre.

Blood – Blood and blood pressure are very much affected by the foods we eat – namely processed salt (like table salt, NOT good quality natural rock salt). Some forms of saturated fat can also cause blood curdling problems. These come from fatty meats, dairy and some monounsaturated fats like rapeseed oil, olive oil and sunflower oil – however these oils are fine in moderation. High blood pressure increases the risk of hardening of the arteries…reduce these risky foods and let your blood flow freely.

Dairy – The most terrifying of all? The body’s immune response to dairy is often mucus, especially in children. No, they don’t grow out of it, their little bodies just adapt and try to cope. Cue symptoms of ill health in later life. So if your chilling children are snotty, have ear infections, catch all the colds from school and are acting like little monsters on a regular basis you might do well to ditch the dreaded dairy and watch how they transform into healthier, snot free, more emotionally stable little angels. Dairy is also inflammatory so is a major trigger in inflammatory diseases. It’s also acidic too, which means your body has to leach calcium and other minerals from your bones in order to put the pH balance right. Look after your spooky skeleton and switch to one of the many nutritious plant milks instead.

Mead – (alcohol). Alcohol directly damages cells along your guts and entrails Muwahahaha!!! (or digestive tract). This can cause inflammation in the gut and cause it to leak. Alcohol also changes your inner ecosystem and can contribute to bacterial overgrowth. Candida, thrush, UTI’s…? Gruesome! A little now and again really isn’t going to hurt, but if you’re the type of person who has a little drink most nights, or a good few at the pub most weekends you’ll be at greater risk of doing yourself a serious mischief.

Say Bye Bye to UTI

Urinary Tract Infection….The merest mention of the word strikes fear into our hearts. Youch. Stingy!

It is miserable if you’re prone to UTI’s. But the good news is its likely to be a product of your diet. If your pH balance is in the acidic zone you might be nurturing an environment that UTI’s love.

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection:
-A stinging or burning pain during urination
-Increased frequency of urination
-Fever and chills
-Blood in the urine

Causes of a urinary tract infection

-Oral contraceptive use
-Over-acidic digestion and blood pH
-Recent anti-biotic use
-Microorganisms – Candida species are responsible for approximately 25% of urinary tract infections
-Sexual overactivity

Prevention is better than cure! But if you haven’t managed the prevention part, here’s a few remedies which may help:

-Cranberry – prevents bacteria adhering to the epithelial cells (wall) of the bladder. This herb may provide symptomatic relief
-Echinacea and Olive leaf may support the underlying immune system weakness and is also an anti-bacterial
-Acidophilus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus) may help to prevent UTI’s and reduce the length and severity of them by re-inoculating the urinary system with healthy bacteria
-Vitamin C (non acidic Calcium ascorbate) may be helpful to reduce acidity, provide anti-oxidants and support the immune system to reduce bacteria. Camu Camu would be perfect
-Avoid foods which can aggravate urinary tract infections such as alcohol, coffee, soft drinks, citrus foods, tomatoes, vinegar, yeasts, sugar and artificial sweeteners.
-Increase water intake to ensure that the urinary system is properly flushed out. REPEAT AFTER ME: “The solution to pollution is dilution”
-Reduce acidic foods in the diet and increase alkaline foods (acidic includes dairy, meat, sugar, alcohol, coffee, processed foods and gluten. Alkaline foods include fruits, vegetables, water, herbal teas, nuts and seeds)
-Begin the day with a glass of warm water with lemon juice squeezed into it. Lemon juice changes the PH of the blood and urinary tract so that the opportunistic bacteria is not able to proliferate
-Eat plenty of foods high in anti-oxidants such as blueberries, grapes and cranberries
-Alkalise the blood: vegetable juices, barley grass, lemon juice, miso soup and plenty of water

Autoimmune Recovery Journey

Obviously as a therapist I adhere to strict confidentiality. However sometimes my clients feel so awesome they like me to write case studies for my Facebook page. People find them really inspiring.

Here’s my latest….

Are you ready for an absolute tear jerker of a case study? Sometimes you meet people who are true inspirations. Here’s one of them.

Before I met my client and we were corresponding by text and email, none of her messages made any sense because she was in such chronic and debilitating pain she could barely press the keys. Plus her hands were pretty locked up from her conditions. She has a string of auto immune diseases – Lupus, Hypothyroidism, Pernicious Anemia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I must point out that a meat free diet is not necessary in a lot of cases (although I’d always recommend it), but when dealing with this level of chronic, inflammatory illness I feel it’s the only way forward. No toxic or inflammatory factors can be present in the body.

Understandably my client has been prescribed a tonne of medication.  Within 14 days she’d probably reduced the pain meds by 50%.

“28 days ago I set off on my plan from Tonic. I’m 39 and only 4 weeks before I had ran a half marathon. Now I was crippled with fatigue and debilitating pain. My mood was on the floor and tears were my day. I was incredibly desperate and trusted her implicitly, she made me laugh, she understood and she got me.

My detox was horrific – years of abusing myself made sure of that but Lynsey at Tonic gave me hope. Today 28 days on I still have a long way to go, but I’m 17lbs down, I feel so different and I’m on an incredible journey with my health, food and my attitude.

My illness is Chronic, my pain is severe but in 28 days I have felt changes that were unimaginable to me…Today is my first major milestone as a Gluten and caffine free Vegan and you know what….I’m loving it. I love Tonic…..x #changesforlife

I’ve come such a long way in such short time. I have so far to go and feel little overwhelmed but I feel quietly strong.

I want you to know you made a difference to me x u gave me tools, with no judging and I know I’ve not even scratched the surface…

My life might not be what it was but I’ll accept that and work hard and quietly for a beautiful different future xx

1 stone 4lbs gone……

😮 xxx feeling humble”

…………………………………………………

I’m not sure what to say after that. I’ve met some strong willed clients on my journey but this girl is fierce.

Doctors will tell you there’s nothing that can be done for autoimmune (and most other illnesses) other than pumping yourself full of toxic medication.

While there is no cure, and some medication might always be necessary, you can turn your life around simply by changing your diet.

Right, I’m off to blub into my lotus leaf tea. Feeling very emotional now! Xx

Lotus Leaf Tea for Meee

First morning back in Aberdeen after a lovely time home in Teesside. I had scheduled in a bit of indulgence while I was there – which I very much enjoyed 😉 but the aftermath is a few days of feeling a bit under par 😢.

Should I reach for a packet of over the counter meds to trick me into feeling better while actually poisoning kidneys and liver?  Hmmm, no thanks. I’ll go for a bit of TCM – Traditional Chinese Medicine simply in the form of Lotus Leaf Tea.

Research that was conducted in Japan has shown that lotus leaf can be associated with a slowing down of the absorption of fat and carbohydrates, and even an increase in metabolism. Containing phytochemicals, alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins, lotus leaves are rich in antioxidants and a great addition to any diet.

The lotus plant originated in India and is currently cultivated primarily for food and herbal medicine.

Lotus leaf tea is a remedy that treats the stomach, spleen, liver and helps the body to detox.

Lotus leaf tea is also effective against high blood pressure because of the tea’s alkaloid content, according to the Institute of Traditional Medicine. The tea’s calming properties also alleviate restlessness, heart palpitations and insomnia (not that I have those, I haven’t been on a bender or anything!).

So, reach for some traditional medicine to sooth you back to full fettle!

Don’t Sell your Cells Short

You’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat”. But have you thought about what it means? Basically the cells in your body are constantly renewing themselves and they can only do this effectively if you feed them the right nutrients.

Food is simply the vessel that transports the nutrients to the body.

Nutrient poor food = poor cell regeneration which means deterioration of health in later life.

Some of your body parts are just a few weeks, even days, old.

LIVER AGE: 5 MONTHS

The liver has such a rich blood supply that It can actually regrow itself so it can continue with its main job of flushing toxins out of the body.

Heavy drinkers can sometimes improve the state of their liver because liver cells only have a life span of around 150 days. However once cirrhosis sets in this is no longer possible and can be fatal.

‘I can take 70 per cent of a person’s liver away in an operation and around 90 per cent of it will grow back within two months,’ explains David Lloyd, consultant liver surgeon at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

TASTE BUDS AGE: 10 DAYS

A lot of my clients tell me they can taste a big difference in their food after the first few weeks of changing their eating habits. Smoking, coffee and alcohol can contribute to dulling of the taste buds, as well as just not eating the proper nutrients to grow ones that work properly!

Anything that causes inflammation can also deaden the cells on the tongue (and elsewhere in the body) so gluten, sugar, fatty foods and dairy will all contribute to substandard cell renewal.

HEART AGE: 20 YEARS

Until recently it was thought the heart couldn’t renew itself. However, a study at New York Medical College found it is actually dotted with stem cells that constantly rejuvenate it  –  at least three or four times over a lifetime.

This is great because you can change your eating habits now, and regrow healthy heart cells! You’re body strives to be in optimum health, it gives you chance after chance….but don’t leave it too long. It won’t wait forever.

LUNGS AGE: 2-3 WEEKS

The cells in the lungs constantly renew themselves.

However, the lungs contain different cells that renew at different rates. The alveoli or air sac cells  –  needed for the exchange of oxygen and gases  –  deep in the lungs have a steady progress of regeneration that takes about a year.

Meanwhile, the cells on the lung’s surface have to renew every two or three weeks.

I client of mine started her detox 2 weeks ago. She’d been suffering with severe, painful chest congestion for a long time, even having to resort to antibiotics. Within 2 weeks she’s noticed that her chest is much clearer. This is because we’ve removed elements which cause chest problems and replaced them with tonnes of nutrients so her cells are growing back and repairing themselves, as well as clearing out mucus.

SKIN AGE: 2-4 WEEKS

The epidermis or surface layer of the skin is renewed every two to four weeks.

This rapid turnover occurs because skin is the body’s outer protection and is exposed to injury as well as pollution.

Another common observation by my clients is how great their skin looks after a few weeks. Skin needs certain vitamins and minerals to renew looking dewy, smooth and blemish free. Feed well and look fabulous, daaahhhling! 😘

BONES AGED: 10 YEARS

The skeleton is constantly replacing itself, this takes around 10 years.

Old bone is broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone-building cells known as osteoblasts.

At any one time we have a mixture of old and new bone as the turnover rates differ throughout the body.

But when we hit middle age this renewal process slows down, so if you’ve had a diet full of inflammatory foods like sugar, processed foods, preservatives, colourings, lots of meat, dairy and gluten you’re at greater risk of osteoporosis. This is because inflammatory foods leach calcium and other minerals from your bones in order to maintain an alkaline balance.

INTESTINES AGE: 2-3 DAYS

OUR intestines are lined with cells known as villi  –  these are tiny, finger-like branches that increase the surface area and help the intestine to absorb nutrients.

They have a very high turnover rate and can be replaced every two to three days.

This is because they are constantly exposed to chemicals such as highly corrosive stomach acid that breaks down food, so they’re constantly under attack.

The intestine is protected by a layer of mucus so regenerates over a couple of weeks. This is why my clients on detox for IBS notice an 80 – 100% decrease in their symptoms by day 14.

How awesome is your body? The great thing is that your body will repair itself from the very second you give it the opportunity.

The Language of Hunger

Not all fruit needs to be smooshed up into a smoothie. Fruit is the perfect convenience food, just eat.

Many people tell me how busy they are and they just don’t have time to prepare meals….so its a good job many fruits and veggies are ready for action, no prep required!

Your body doesn’t want belly fillers, it wants nutrients. Food is simply a package in which to deliver those nutrients – when you feel hunger that’s your body asking for vitamins, minerals, fibre and energy.

If you eat something that falls short of these requirements, your body will ask you for more very soon – regardless of how much you just ate.  If it didn’t tick all nutritional boxes, you’ll be hungry again pretty quick, or be presented with cravings to fill the gaps.

Genetic Heart Disease Risk Lowered by Plant Based Diet

Diet can cure, manage and prevent a lot of chronic health conditions.  But what about people who are genetically predisposed to chronic health conditions? Fear not! Seems diet can help here too! Here’s a little info about diet and genetic heart disease.

“Chromosome 9p21 has been identified as a major predictor of heart disease. Scientists from McMaster and McGill universities, both in Canada, explained that the 9p21 genetic variants, the strongest markers for heart disease, were found to be modified when large quantities of raw vegetable, berries and fruit were consumed. Put simply, people with this gene variant naturally have a higher risk of heart diseases; this risk is significantly reduced if they eat lots of raw vegetable and fruits.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/251689.php”

Pre-Christmas Minx, Weight Loss and Lifestyle group now open!

My latest e-group s up and running over on the Tonic Nutrition Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/events/699134900162296/

Come on over and check it out of you want to be a slinky minx for Christmas!

This is an opportunity to lose weight but learn the skills to eat well for life! No dieting allowed!

Support your health through optimum nutrition, strengthen your immune system and allow your body to reach a healthy weight – naturally!

Don’t wait until New Year to change your habits, start now and lose weight before the party season starts! Be a slinky minx before Xmas!
* Weight loss – no dieting required!
* Group support – make new friends!
* Learn new habits to enable you to eat well for life
* Exclusive group menu designed by me, for a healthy lifestyle change
* Have access to me, within the group, for nutrition tips and advice

Breakfast Ice Cream – Sugar and Dairy free of course!

I’ve got a lot to be grateful for today!

1. Nomming healthy peanut butter chocco ice cream for breakfast to mark the end of what’s been a BRILLIANT Raw Food Week

2. TONIC HAS GONE INTERNATIONAL! Welcome and thank you to my new international clients

3. Nomming healthy ice cream for breakfast….

4. Nomming healthy ice cream…..

Recipe – you’ll need a food processor:

2 👉ripe👈 frozen (pre-chopped) bananas

2 tsp organic peanut butter

2 tsp raw cacao OR dark cocoa powder

Process on high! It might need a drizzle of dairy free milk while blending

Drizzle either in a little raw chocolate (coconut oil mixed with raw cacao) OR 2 squares of good quality dark chocolate – it’s dairy free and low in sugar plus it still retains some if it’s antioxidants.

You’ve got a sugar free, dairy free ice cream, really high in potassium and minerals, a little essential fat and some protein too xx

International News and a Decent Smoothie Too

TONIC NUTRITION HAS OFFICIALLY GONE INTERNATIONAL! Yey!

I’m very grateful to be working with new clients from over seas.  Exciting times…hope they want me to visit… If you’d like more information on my services please visit http://www.tonic-nutrition.co.uk or come on over to the Tonic Nutrition Facebook page.

So this is a bit long winded, here goes: cacao and hemp smoothie with lacuma, maca and fresh pumpkin spice with juniper apple on top.

I knowww! It sounds complicated and faffy but it’s not I promise.

I love using maca, we’ve featured it a lot lately so in won’t go I to that now. Lacuma is a fruit which has been used for its amazing health benefits for centuries by native people, mainly in South America and African cultures. It’s not a new thing! This is original health care. It’s full of antioxidants, B vitamins, adult and baby safe. Packed with vitamin A which is needed for many things including healthy cell regeneration (especially skin and eyes). Its very high fibre and naturally sweet but has a low GI. This is the type of ingredient you should be using as sweetener.

It’s October which means it’s nearly Christmas so I’m breaking out the pumpkin spice 😊🎄 (I’ll leave the annoying early Christmas talk for my personal page xx)

I love fresh herbs and spices. They jazz up your food without the added nasties, but also because most herbs and spices contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than fruits and vegetables. They reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar and blood triglyceride levels, aid in fat burning and provide manganese, iron and calcium. They’re also antimicrobial.

So there you go. Health care in a smoothie.

(Oh the apple was simply sprinkled in a little crushed up juniper berries I got from Tesco.  Yes, it tasted like gin 🍸😁).