Ingredients:

Method:

1. Add lime leaves and rice to saucepan then cook the rice as directed on the package.
2. Once water has been absorbed add milk, cream, sugar and salt. Bring to simmer.
3. Rinse sago until water runs clear. Cook in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain. Add rice to mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender but still has a slight bite.
4. Remove lime leaves.
5. Divide rice among serving bowls. Top with banana and coconut. Decorate with kaffir lime leaves.

Tip:

Prep time: 30m | Cook time: 45m | Time: 75m | Serves: 4-6

Another ancient grains recipe with Forbidden Black Rice

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Prepare rice and quinoa per directions on each package.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add diced butternut squash, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes.
4. Mix quinoa and rice & allow to slightly cool.
5. Mix dressing ingredients and stir into quinoa and rice mixture.
6. Add butternut squash and cranberries and toss.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Toss in pumpkin seeds.
9. Serve and enjoy!

 Get your forbidden black rice here

Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 15m | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Cook the rice as directed on pack.
2. In a large non-stick pan, sauté the red onion in a light drizzle of oil then add chicken.
3. Once chicken has browned, add thickly sliced leg ham off the bone, fruit and nuts, worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and Italian herbs. Once cooked, leave in pan to cool to room temperature.
4. On a separate pan, add a light drizzle of oil, cut up a crusty loaf of bread into 2cm sized cubes and put in fry pan until lightly brown. Take off heat.
5. For the salad add spinach leaves, red and green capsicum, celery, cucumber and tomatoes.
6. Turn through the black rice, bread and add chicken, bacon and nuts in a large bowl and serve.
7. For best result let final black rice salad chill in fridge before serving.

Get your Forbidden Black Rice here Enjoy!!

There a wide range of treatments available for this condition which includes the application of antifungal shampoos, specially formulated lotions or olive oil (which is a heavy oil and leaves an oily residue) or almond oil (nut based products should not be used on children under the age of 2) and petroleum jelly. However, most of these are not suitable for use on newborn babies as they are too harsh and will cause mild or in some cases, severe irritation. The best natural alternative is to use organic jojoba oil. Many parents and doctors around the world have reported that jojoba oil is extremely effective in both treating and preventing cradle cap on newborn babies and even adults.

Most parents mistake a fungal infection on the scalp as cradle cap. However, since jojoba oil is also antifungal, so you can basically take a guess without going to a doctor and still hit home.

Curing it naturally and safely with:

Jojoba oil is hypoallergenic, which means that it will not cause any allergic reaction. This is an important property of jojoba oil, especially for babies for obvious reasons. Jojoba oil works by dissolving the dry, patchy crusts caused by cradle cap and loosening dried flakes, making them easier to remove. It also deeply moisturises the scalp at the same time which protects it from further irritation.  You can fully rid your baby or yourself from cradle cap in a week with a daily application of jojoba oil.  You should take extra care when applying it on your baby’s.

Below are the recommended steps you should take when applying jojoba oil on your baby’s scalp.

Steps

1.  Use a few drops of jojoba oil and apply it on your baby’s scalp. Gently massage the oil into the affected areas for 5 minutes, making sure that it is properly absorbed.

2.  Leave it on for about 2 hours for maximum absorption and for the jojoba oil to work its way through the scalp. Then use a soft brush and gently brush the scalp in a small, circular motion to loosen the scales. Make sure you do not use a hard, rough brush as it will irritate your baby’s scalp.

 3.  During brushing, the scales should come right off easily and without any pain because of the jojoba oil. Do not try to force out or peel flakes that are still stuck to the scalp as it might hurt the baby.

 4.  Next, use a comb to comb out the loosened flakes and scales. This should be the most challenging part and may take some time.

 5.  Once you’re sure you have removed most of the flakes, shampoo your baby’s scalp with a gentle shampoo and wash out the remaining oil and small flakes thoroughly.

Jojoba oil has proven itself to be very effective in treating cradle cap. It’s inexpensive and a small bottle should suffice to completely cure the condition. However, if the condition still persists, see a doctor immediately.

A small 20ml bottle can be purchased from http://www.makeuwell.com.au/just-jojoba/

Use jojoba oil to cleanse the skin. Since jojoba oil is non-comedogenic, it can be rubbed onto the skin without fear of causing more acne. There is a method of cleaning the skin with oil that not only clears the pores of bacteria and impurities, but will hydrate the skin and will balance out the oil production.

1. Rub 1 tsp. pure jojoba oil on the skin affected with acne, using more pressure on areas that have the most breakouts. The jojoba oil will stick to the impurities and sebum. Continue to rub in the oil for one to two minutes. In order to pull the oils back out, the pores must be opened by applying hot water to the skin. Apply a hot, steaming cloth to the face until it cools, then wipe away the rest of the oil.
2. Use jojoba oil to treat acne spots. To spot treat acne breakouts, pour 1 tsp. of jojoba oil with five drops of tea tree oil, mixing them well. Pour the oils into a glass container, seal the container and store it in a refrigerator. When you want to use the oil on pimples, dip a cotton swab into the container and apply the oil to the skin where the breakout occurs. There is no need to apply the oil to unaffected areas—only apply it to the blemish. Repeat up to three times per day.
3. Use jojoba oil to moisturise the skin. Jojoba oil can be used to condition skin that is both oily and dry, and will moisturize the skin without clogging the pores. Jojoba oil loosens and melts sebum, making  it an effective moisturiser for acne-prone skin.
4. Place three to four drops of jojoba oil in your hands and rub them together well. Gently smooth the oil onto clean skin, massaging the oil in carefully until it is absorbed. Use jojoba oil on the skin twice per day, in the morning and at night.

It’s versatility makes it one of the most used ingredients in hair products like shampoos and conditioners and its influence is still growing stronger and stronger in the industry. There are multiple reasons why jojoba oil is used so extensively in all kinds of hair products.

Here are a few ideas:

It deeply moisturises your scalp.

Your scalp needs to be moisturised well just like your skin. Dry scalp is usually mistaken as dandruff, causing flaky and “tight” skin and also severe itching. Using jojoba oil moisturises your scalp deep down to its pores and doesn’t evaporate, unlike other water-based moisturisers, this means it seals in the moisture. This causes a deep and lasting moisturizing effect and balances the pH levels of your scalp.

If you constantly have dull and dry hair, jojoba oil is definitely the way to go. Also, if your hair is weak and brittle, it can also help by strengthening the follicle shaft. Since it is 100% natural, you can reuse it over and over again without the danger of harsh chemicals further irritating your scalp.

It prevents hair from looking greasy or oily

Oily scalp problems are hard to deal with, especially if you have long hair. Most of the products that promise you grease-free hair usually ends up over-drying  them instead. Shampooing also doesn’t help, as it dries out your hair and makes it look dull and unhealthy, and conditioning may make your hair greasier than ever.

So what’s the solution?

This is where jojoba oil steps in. Jojoba oil helps control the sebum production of the scalp, which was already mentioned in the acne page. It helps to balance the sebum production in the scalp and helps promote a healthy shine to your hair and also regulates the flow of sebum in clogged pores. This way, it balances the amount of oil on your scalp perfectly.

Jojoba oil prevents and stops hair loss and thinning of hair, which is often caused by blocked hair follicles, causing it to break off. Hair growth can also be adversely effected if too many pores are clogged with sebum.

As stated above, jojoba oil can dissolve and clear these blockages which in turn reduces hair loss. Conditions like psoriasis and scalp dermatitis which may cause hair loss can also be treated with jojoba oil because of its anti-fungal properties. Besides that, jojoba oil helps stimulate and promote new hair growth because it encourages the development of new hair cells and helps improve micro-circulation in the scalp.

Here are some tips on how to use jojoba oil for your hair.

1. Prior to shampooing, warm the jojoba oil and then rub it into your scalp. A few drops are usually sufficient for this. Leave it for 30 minutes or so and then you can start shampooing. If your shampoo doesn’t contain jojoba oil already, you can mix it with a teaspoon of jojoba oil and thoroughly but gently scrub it on your scalp and hair.
2. After a few minutes, rinse off carefully with a towel. Do not re-shampoo or it will dry out your hair. For better results, apply one or two drops to your hair after this to get a healthy shine.

Integrating jojoba oil into your hair routine is definitely a no-brainer. It mixes well with all sorts of shampoo or you can use it on its own if you avoid chemical based products.

With all the great benefits jojoba oil can offer, you are guaranteed that your hair will have a healthy and natural appearance in an inexpensive and more importantly, natural way.

To understand more about the mechanism of jojoba oil, you can read the jojoba oil for acne blog that follows.

Jojoba oil is the perfect solution.  Made up of wax monounsaturated esters, jojoba is the closest naturally occurring lubricant to that which our skin makes for itself: Sebum. Parched skin drinks it up instantly when applied.

Even better news than this, is that the liquid gold in Just Jojoba bottles, is directly and entirely from the plant – not one chemical additive.  In fact, nothing else added at all!   The oil is cold pressed from the seed pods when they fall to the ground of their own accord, and poured into the bottle. The crop requires no insecticides, because nothing eats the plant. It also has a long shelf life and will not oxidise easily, turning rancid, like other oils, thus needing no chemical help for longevity.

It comes to you, exactly as nature intended.

Just Jojoba is nut-free, preservative free, hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial – all prerequisites for anything going onto a baby’s pure skin, and potentially into their mouths via those tasty little hands. It also creates an excellent barrier between skin and the elements with its natural SPF of 4.

Just Jojoba can be massaged into baby’s head for easy removal of cradle cap, or used as an anti-bacterial moisturiser for nappy rash.  It is perfect for soothing massage, and because it is odourless and non-greasy it can be used continuously throughout the day for general dry skin conditions, including eczema.  The small 20mL pump pack is ideal to have on your at all times in your handbag or nappy bag.

Jojoba plants are indigenous to southern parts of the United States and northern Mexico.  However, Australia, having the same arid climate as these locations, has started producing it’s own jojoba crop.  The crop takes five years to mature, and the first yields from Queensland and NSW are coming to bear now.

MakeUwell buys direct from the farmer in Queensland, supporting our important farming industry, as well as keeping the price affordable for customers. The products are packaged and tested here (not on animals), making our Just Jojoba 100 per cent Australian, right throughout the process.  This is of the utmost importance to our company.

Our Just Jojoba product is also, as it says, 100 per cent just jojoba oil!  We receive and package the golden liquid wax which has been cold pressed direct from the beans. The result is a naturally very pure product, filtered to one micron. It yields a silky, clear golden product, clean of the added bleaches and canola and watering down of some other jojoba products on the market.

Retail prices: Just Jojoba 20mL, $6.95; Just Jojoba 125mL, $24.95; Just Jojoba 250mL, $44.95; Just Jojoba 500mL, $69.95.  Available from www.Makeuwell.com.au

An Australian study, conducted by University of Western Australia researchers and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Perth, looked at the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in 98 pregnant women. They had either high doses of fish oil or olive oil from 20 weeks gestation until delivery.

The children born of the mothers from the fish oil group attained higher scores in all measures of development, behaviour and language, and had a significantly higher score for hand-eye coordination, compared with children from the olive oil control group.

“Improved hand-eye coordination can help in terms of developing fine motor skills that may enhance learning, for example being able to hold and use a pen or pencil, and increase self-esteem,” said Dr. Janet Dunstan, of the School of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of WA.

“I think it’s well accepted that fish oil is an important part of everyone’s diet and we know that during pregnancy the baby needs extra amounts of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is present in omega-3 fish oil,” she says.

Omega-3 DHA is a building block for the brain’s tissue. During pregnancy, DHA is passed from mother to infant. Half our brain’s DHA is formed during the fetal stage, with the remaining half developing during the first 12 months of life. Breast milk contains some DHA, and, as well as being important for baby’s development, it is needed for mood and nerve support for mum.

Along with this important function, fish oil also helps to reduce inflammation, protects against heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease, improves cognitive function, and reduces bad cholesterol levels.

Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA is a safe and effective way to ensure that both mother and baby receive the daily recommended intake of this fundamental nutrient without any risk of toxicity.

But what if there was a product which could put back into your skin, more of the natural lubricant our skin itself makes?  And it is not synthetically produced.

Hair suddenly look like you’re best friends with an electric power point? Dry, windy weather can make hair fly away and full of static, not to mention an itchy, cracked, and visibly flaky scalp. More moisture is what is needed.

How does a moisturising product, which can be added to your normal hair care products, can eliminate flaky scalp conditions, and add moisture to your hair without the weight or greasiness, sound?

We’re talking about Jojoba Oil.

It is a boon for sufferers of dermatitis conditions, babies with nappy rash, sufferers of severe acne, and the list goes on. And it is, as yet, still a well kept secret – but not for long.

Technically, jojoba (ho-ho-bah) oil is a mixture of long chain monounsaturated liquid wax esters; which non-technically means it doesn’t behave at all like most oils. In fact it is better described as a golden liquid wax.

The majority of oils have triglycerides, which, when used in skin care products, use a barrier effect to try and stop loss of moisture from the skin.  Jojoba oil is different because it is structurally and chemically very similar to the sebum produced by the sebaceous glands in human skin.  Sebum is also largely made up of those same wax monounsaturated esters found in jojoba oil.  Our skin stops making sebum when we are 21 years of age.

This little bit of liquid gold also has a long shelf life and will not oxidise easily, turning rancid, like other oils, and  thus needs little or no chemical help for longevity.  But the biggest bonus for those using it on their skin, is that it is non-comedogenic, meaning it will not block pores and cause pimples.

Sufferers of acne will well know that they still need to moisturise at the same time as keeping pores, dry, open and clean.  It can be hard to find a product which will do all these things, but jojoba oil does, as this testimonial, from a severe acne sufferer who is medicated for it, shows:

“It keeps my skin moisturised extremely well despite the strong drying effect which            Accutane [the medication] causes. A few drops mixed with my moisturiser usually does the trick and keeps my skin hydrated all day long. It also soothes and calms redness caused by acne scars, and has this amazing cooling effect.”

It is believed that due to jojoba oil’s likeness to sebum, the skin is deceived into thinking it has produced enough, thus production of sebum slows right down, which leads to decreases in acne.  Skin remains moisturized, but no longer oily and clogged.

Jojoba oil is also non allergenic and non irritant to the skin and eye area, making it a great makeup remover.  This also makes it perfect for the very sensitive skin on some men’s faces – it can be used both for shaving along with your normal foam, and as an aftershave, to keep skin soft and not irritated. And jojoba creates an excellent barrier between your skin and the elements with its natural SPF of 4.

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But something this good cannot be kept for cosmetic purposes only – it’s health benefits are vast.

For some acne sufferers, bacteria can cause further inflammation.  Most bacteria and some fungus’ cannot live when in contact with jojoba oil, including Propionibacterium acnes, the bacteria associated with acne. In fact, the oil is so effective as an anti-bacterial and fungal treatment, that it is used to relieve cold sores, cuts and bruises, and other skin infections.  It is so effective that it has even been used as a fungicide to control mildew.

Severe skin conditions, like eczema, psoriasis and bed sores, can be well soothed and calmed with jojoba oil application, and it is widely loved by the elderly for this.  Wind chaffed, or sunburnt skin also responds well to jojoba’s intensely moisturising properties.  Being so similar to the skin’s make up, it is absorbed by the body like no other.

For babies, cradle cap, nappy rash and baby massage are just a few of the many benefits this oil can bring.  Most importantly for little ones, is, unlike many of the other almond oil-based products, jojoba is a nut free product, reducing any allergy risks.

Scarring can be reduced with jojoba oil. The oil contains a variety of the organic tocopherol compounds, which make up vitamin E. And vitamin E is of course well known for promoting healthy and clear skin and aiding the recovery of scarring. Stretch marks, be gone!

Pop some jojoba on your hair before shampooing, or mix it in with your shampoo, and scalp and hair moisture levels will be boosted, without the weight of heavy conditioners.  Some conditioners and moisturising products, can actually block scalp pores, adding to flaky scalp conditions rather than alleviating them.  And here’s some great news for parents – head lice do not like to lay eggs on a hair shaft which has been introduced to jojoba oil!

Interestingly, jojoba can be used in small amounts in cooking, because it is nut free, and calorie free. It also has very little, if detectable at all, scent.

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Jojoba oil, as well as being perfect using on the skin and body, is environmentally perfect too. The plants are carbon neutral:  The crop requires no watering, and the seed pods fall to the ground on their own when they’re ready, and are scooped up for production. The crop requires no insecticides, because nothing eats the plant.

Another benefit of jojoba oil is that it is slowly but certainly replacing whale oil for use in cosmetics, and for machinery lubricant, which in turn is leading to reduction in whale hunting.  No doubt the preference would be jojoba if you asked a woman to chose between whale blubber or natural jojoba oil in the perfume she swathes herself with!

Jojoba oil is extracted from the seeds of the jojoba plant (Simmondsia chinensis), which are indigenous to southern parts of the United States and northern Mexico.  However, Australia, having the same arid climate as these locations, has started producing it’s own jojoba crop.  The crop takes five years to mature, and the first yields from Queensland and NSW are coming to bear now.

MakeUwell buys direct from the farmer in Queensland, supporting our important farming industry, as well as keeping the price affordable for customers. The products are packaged and tested here (not on animals), making our Just Jojoba 100 per cent Australian, right throughout the process.  This is of the utmost importance to our company.

Our Just Jojoba product is also, as it says, 100 per cent just jojoba oil!  We receive and package the golden liquid wax which has been cold pressed direct from the beans. The resulting golden liquid is naturally very pure and filtered to one micron. It yields a silky, clear golden product, clean of the added bleaches and canola and watering down of some other jojoba products on the market.

If you have a child with asthma, you will know that diagnosing the exact cause of your little one’s breathing difficulties can be a minefield – dust mites, food intolerance, gas fires, and the hygiene hypothesis are just a few of the possible causes.

However, new Australian and Japanese research has found that asthma may be related to a relative drop in omega 3 because of the way we eat. Whereas the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in our diets used to be 5:1, it is now 15:1 or higher. 

Omega 6 can promote inflammation, is found in high quantities in cooking oils, and is the polyunsaturated fatty acid we are cautioned against having too much of. Yet this is the omega which has increased so dramatically in our diets!

Omega 3 is found in oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.  It is known to help reduce inflammation and has been popular with sufferers of heart disease for many years now, as well as supporting children’s brain development, showing positive effects on memory, mood, learning and focus.  

So omega 3 is the one we want more of for a well functioning body. Because it is a natural anti-inflammatory, researchers found that omega 3 could help either prevent or diminish the severity of asthma by reducing the inflammation in the airways.

The research showed that children who never or rarely ate oily fish, were four times more at risk of developing asthma than those children who regularly ate oily fish.

Along with all the other benefits, this is truly one of Mother Nature’s little miracles.

If you find it difficult to get the recommended two serves of omega 3 a week into your little person, try our Nordic Naturals Children’s DHA.  Then you can be sure.