I get so many emails with questions about soaking nuts, and the thing is there is a lot of controversy about nuts in general, and the soaking and drying times in particular seem very different depending who is writing about it. So lets get into the nitty gritty of your nuts!

I have decided it is time to write an eBook all about soaking nuts – yes I know, it brings a chuckle, you will have to excuse the odd giggle here and there, well, it has brightened an other wise cold, wet and dull day for me!

So I will endeavor to give as much information as possible about soaking nuts in my book for you, but for now a little more info and a basic chart which I hope will help to clear some confusion.

See my original article which prompted so many questions here: Why We Need to Soak Nuts

Soaking nuts and seeds results in a very healthy snack or ingredient for our raw menu, they can help reduce inflammation, assist in lowering cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.

Seeds and nuts are a rich source of essential fatty acids, amino acids (protein), antioxidants, fibre, Vitamin A, B’s, C and E, zinc, potassium, iron, folate, manganese, calcium and magnesium. The problem though is if they are difficult for us to digest, then of course we are unable to absorb the nutrients – hence the practice of soaking.

Soaking Nuts

1. Please do start with the best possible supply of raw nuts you can get, salted and roasted are dead nuts with no nutrition.

2. We are soaking nuts for a few reasons. The first is to release enzyme inhibitors that also inhibit our digestion, and then we activate the good enzymes beneficial to our health. Soaking nuts also allows for smooth consistency of our mix in some recipes.

3. If a recipe say’s nuts soaked, drained and rinsed, then use them this way, do not dry. (This is to get good consistency for the mix)

4. When drying, do not dry nuts on a kitchen work top, they are susceptible to bacteria and mould while left hanging around wet, use a dehydrator or a very low oven.

5. I usually soak and dry at least 1 or 2 cups of nuts when I buy them, I then store in the fridge, I do use nuts a lot and like some to be ready for use.

6. If you only have pre-soaked and dried nuts to hand, but want to make something that calls for ‘wet’ nuts, then they will need to be soaked again, less time is needed as they will soften quite quickly.

 7. Trial and error will show you what works best when soaking nuts, so take note of what others say and try for yourself.

By soaking nuts, grains, and seeds in water, salt water (brine), warm water or warm water mixed with a little of something acidic like yogurt, or lemon juice, we will have within 8 to 24 hours neutralised the enzyme inhibitors and anti nutrients as well as enhanced the beneficial nutrients for our use.

Below is a chart that I tend to work with, again some people say certain nuts don’t need to be soaked, Brazils and Pine nuts for example don’t have enzyme inhibitors – so say – don’t need soaking.

Soaking Nuts – The Process

Ingredients:

• Nuts – as many or few as you’d like
• Natural salt – 1 tbsp. per 4 cups of nuts
• Filtered water – to generously cover nuts

Instructions:

Place your nuts in a large glass jug (giggle) … or a mason jar with natural salt and enough fresh clean filtered water to cover, give the brine a stir to dissolve the salt. I use warm water – leave your soaking nuts overnight. ….. tee he! I am sure they wouldn’t like cold water ……:(

In The Morning:

Dehydrator Directions –

Rinse your nuts well in a colander (oops – ha ha) and spread evenly onto a dehydrator tray. ( oh it gets worse!) Set the temperature to 105˚ for 12-24 hours. Cool completely before storage.

Oven Directions –

I have never done this as I use my dehydrator – but this is what I would do in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 150˚- rinse nuts well in a colander and dry with paper towels, line an oven tray with parchment paper and spread your nuts (saying nothing) I say use parchment as I would not be happy with metal trays.

Spread nuts evenly on your tray and place in the oven for 12-24 hours, checking and moving around occasionally. Cool completely before storage.

Be sure to fully dehydrate/dry your nuts so no moisture remains. You don’t want them to mould. 12-24 hrs is about right for all nuts. Test them every 6 hrs to see if they are dry and crunchy enough.

If you are unable or just don’t have the time to dry your nuts, (a rub down will do – (ops – sorry)….

Just soak the amount that you can be sure you will use within two or three days. Soak in mason jars, rinse them after 12 hours, and store in the fridge.

Storing Your Soaked Nuts

Store nuts in an airtight container preferably glass. Some people store in the freezer, mine never last that long!

Freezing nuts and seeds prevents them from going rancid which can happen due to their high fat content. Light, heat, moisture, and metal all spoil nuts, they are best stored in sealed glass containers in a dark, cool, dry place. The freezer is a great option, and doesn’t harm the nuts or their nutritional value at all. Great if you want to do a large batch, it will fill and make better use of the dehydrator too!

I love my Excalibur dehydrator!

The benefits of soaked nuts are enormous!

So there you have it – you know what to do with your nuts! Activate them, dry them well and take care of them – enjoy haha!

Did you know – nuts are a fruit?

Related posts:

Excalibur Dehydrator – Do you really need a Dehydrator?

Why We Need To Soak Nuts

Be Healthy ~ Be your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Soaking Nuts – how Long for Soaking & Drying Nuts appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

Orange Grapefruit Juice – This Juice is just gorgeous and full of so many goodies! Did you know that oranges contain calcium? Yep, lots of it too. I can’t say I like grapefruit but it is good with orange and the health benefits are awesome!

In fact grapefruit whether pink white or red mix well with many fruits so a great ingredient for our Juices & Smoothies.

Orange Grapefruit Juice – Pure Fresh Goodness

I really don’t understand why anyone would buy juices from the store, when they are so easy to make fresh at home, a juicer is not even needed for these citrus fruits, and once tasted I really don’t think you would buy store stuff again!

I used just two large Oranges and two Pink Grapefruits for this juice, I have to say the grapefruits were not the best, but my Orange Grapefruit Juice still tasted great and all those amazing vitamins and minerals – Oh Yes!

Looking at this picture makes me want to drink this orange grapefruit juice again!

Orange Grapefruit Juice – Why is It So Good For Me?

Oranges are of course known mostly for Vitamin C, but there is a lot more to them than this, they are loaded with anti cancer beta-carotene, and excellent for sweeping away toxins that cause rapid aging and disease!

Oranges give us plenty of Juice and kids love fresh orange juice so it is an easy juice to make quickly with tons of health benefits and cost effective too. An electric citrus juicer makes it super easy.

Peel carefully and don’t throw away the pith – this is where the best nutrients are, close to the skin.

Read the ins & outs of Oranges – Here

The amazing grapefruit – again the best magic is in the pith. The grapefruit is fantastic for breaking down inorganic deposits left around the cartilage of our joints which causes us aches and pains or worse - arthritis. This inorganic calcium that causes  so much trouble is mainly from too much milk & dairy produce in our diet. The calcium in fruits is much better for us and utilized properly by the body.

This Orange Grapefruit Juice is loaded with Vitamin C, antioxidants, calcium pectin and minerals,  a great juice for cleansing, building and protecting from disease. It stimulates digestion and regulates cholesterol levels too!

Enjoy This Orange Grapefruit Juice & all its benefits.

Related Posts;

The Real OJ

Citrus Cleanser

Healing Arthritis

Raw Pineapple Juice

Be Healthy ~ Be Your Best

Love & Light 

Cher

The post Orange Grapefruit Juice – Pure Fresh Goodness appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

I love this Green Smoothie Recipe and l love what it does for me too! I was asked the other day why I call it a green smoothie “are you colour blind”? Haha – no. When we refer to green smoothies and Juices, we mean green if they include leafy greens or other veggies, so even if they are deep red from beets, we still call them green.

Two of my favorite fruits, and the ever faithful cinnamon which I think is the perfect compliment to any Green Smoothie recipe, if the gorgeous taste isn’t enough, or just doesn’t grab you, you should at least consider cinnamon for the awesome health benefits! Oh did I mention weight loss? 

 My Favourite Green Smoothie Recipe

Well apart from tasting so good and making me want another, this green smoothie recipe is a definite for me at least once a week because of the cleansing benefits!

Ingredients;

• 2 apples
• 2 peaches
• handful of dandelion greens (or some baby spinach)
• sprinkling of cinnamon

Juice your apples and put in the blender with your peaches and dandelion greens whiz til smooth, pour into your glass & sprinkle with cinnamon.

Gorgeous green smoothie recipe even if it doesn’t look green!

Apples are a great base for any green smoothie recipe.

Apples – Well we all know the old saying ” An apple a day keeps the doctor away”!  Whoever said that was not joking, these babies are amazing, they taste fantastic, simply full of nutrients, and they are very cleansing and healing!

Do you know anyone who does not like apples? I don’t think I have ever met anyone, but I wish we didn’t take them for granted, we should all eat more of them and your green smoothie recipe or green juice is a perfect way to get more of them.

The apple has vitamin A, B 1, B 2 & B 6, tons of minerals and this fabulous pectin stuff that forms a gel like substance in our intestines that then literally sweeps us clean and draws away toxins. The apple is a health promoter and anti cancer!

Apples are a good source of fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants. They are known as the intestinal broom and this has to be good news for protecting us from disease!

Many studies show us that apples can;

• Help to protect against osteoporosis & Alzheimer’s disease.
• Help to prevent lung, breast, colon & liver cancer.
• Prevent gallstones
• Prevent cataracts
• Protect against Parkinson’s disease
• Improve heart health
• Calm irritable bowel syndrome
• Detoxify the liver
• Lower cholesterol
• Help to manage diabetes  
• Strengthen immune system

Studies show that expectant Mothers who include apples in their diet are less likely to have their child develop asthma.

And get this – studies suggest that children with asthma who drink pure fresh apple juice daily show less symptoms – much less wheezing than those who only have apple juice once a month.

My son was asthmatic when he was young, he loved apples and apple juice. This study report was not available then – I wonder if it as intuition for him?

Kids love this green smoothie recipe!

Peaches – a natural laxative and diuretic, so again cleansing the intestines, bladder and kidneys. Vitamins B 3 & C and beta carotene, loads of minerals including silicon (great for hair, skin and nails) health promoting, disease and cancer fighter. very alkalizing for our blood.  Improves heart function and lowers cholesterol. Nurturer and protector.

This is a gorgeous fruit for our green smoothie with benefits galore;

• Acidosis
• Asthma
• Anemia
• Gastritis
• Bladder & Kidney Stones
• Bronchitis
• Constipation
• Dry Cough
• High Blood Pressure
• Poor Digestion

 Dandelion  Greens- have a higher amount of calcium and iron than most cultivated greens, huge health benefits which make them the perfect nutritional boost for our green smoothie.

Other essential minerals – copper, manganese, potassium and magnesium.

Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which may help people with asthma and other inflammatory diseases.

high in vitamin A  - antioxidant carotenoid (beta-carotene) and vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps iron absorption.

The best detoxifying & cleansing Green – great for cleansing the liver.

Protein yeah really! – Dandelion greens have more protein per serving than spinach. They contain around 14% protein & all essential amino acids which make this green a complete protein.

The nutrients in dandelion greens can help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, and stroke. Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which can bring relief to those with asthma and other inflammatory diseases. Perfect companion for apple in our green smoothie then.

Why I Add Cinnamon To Almost Every Green Smoothie Recipe

I just love the taste of cinnamon and think it is the perfect compliment to any fruit or green smoothie recipe, but so much more than that is the amazing health benefits we get from cinnamon….

There are studies which show that a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon can cure most diseases! Ayurvedic medicine has promoted honey as a vital medicine for centuries, and science today also accepts honey as a very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases, they say that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.

A perfect healthy addition to our green smoothie recipe.

Learn more about the magic of Cinnamon > HERE

Green Smoothie Recipe….

They taste divine,  beautiful drinks that are pure goodness for your health your body and your soul!

What are you waiting for? Get healthy!

Get on the Green Smoothie recipe!

Related Pages;

Recipes For Juices & Smoothies

Be Healthy ~ Be Your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Green Smoothie Recipe – Apple, Peach & Cinnamon appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

Fruity Water & Beauty Elixirs – Get Hydrated - The majority of us are extremely dehydrated causing us great health risks - Get Hydrated with Alkaline Water! This is the single most important thing you can do to for your health, energy and vitality!

Wow, the weather here in France is crazy, as so with many other parts of the world, we have literally gone from winter to full on summer over night, it’s a shock, really don’t know what happened to spring?

So I am doubling up on my water, I am out planting like a mad thing, if I had planted any veg before now it would have been ruined as we had some beautiful days that spurred the garden into growth, and then suddenly got hit with frost, I have lost several new plants so was not gong to risk the veg, they have been happily growing under cover.

I cant believe how hot it is now, so with lots more heat and physical activity for me, I need to keep that water up. Seriously I cannot stress this enough – get hydrated – this will change everything like magic!

You need to be drinking at least 3-4 litres of good quality alkaline water per day, and more if you are a little heavy, working out or in a hot climate! Okay, I know it sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t when you get used to it! These fruity water elixirs are wonderful for keeping us hydrated with a little more taste than plain water!

Fruity Water & Beauty Elixirs - How Much Water Do We Need?

Some people just can’t keep up the plain old water, but we so need it, this fruity water is perfect to give us what we need to stay in balance with a little flavour added, and of course we can use different fruits and herbs to keep our interest up.

3-4 litres is about right for most people to get hydrated, but there are other factors to consider;

Our bodies are something like 70-78% water, we must maintain this level to stay healthy, if we sweat a lot through exercise, hot weather or whatever, we are reducing our bodies water content and our cells are dying, we are aging rapidly! Fruity water is perfect.

The majority (very large majority) of us do not drink nearly enough water, not even close! Our digestion is slow, we are stagnant, and we are not clearing away toxins, we are too highly acid, our bodies are tired and our organs are under stress and pressure, we need to get hydrated!

The body does it’s best to protect us and keep our vital organs safe, it stores toxins and poisons anywhere it can away from our organs! Guess where its stored? Yeah not where you want it! So can you see then that this is why we end up with aching joints, skin problems, exhaustion and weight issues, not to mention the disease we are building?

So those times when you found it hard to lose weight, or you struggled with your skin or wounds just not healing? Headaches, mental fogginess, depression? This is not to mention what happens in the bowels!!!

We simply cannot flush waste when we are dehydrated, we get sticky clogged colons and that could develop into something really nasty!

Being dehydrated is obviously not the only factor of good health but it certainly is of utmost importance and the beginnings of excellent health!

We simply cannot survive without water. Get Hydrated!

Alkaline water hydrates up to 17% better than any other water!

Veggies and some fruits are alkalizing, try adding fruit and herbs to filtered water for a hydrating alkaline drink, and get on the green drinks!

Being hydrated can change everything, sounds simple doesn’t it? Well it is, just drinking enough water and making it a habit, can have a profound effect on your whole life.

I had an email from one of my readers a couple of days ago, she said she had been drinking 4 litres per day and had lost weight without even changing her diet, she suffers with constipation but she is clearing! This is fantastic, she is now so relieved and is excited about learning about her body and including more raw food into her diet, I cannot wait to see how she gets on!

The correct amount of water intake certainly will help you to lose weight, as it clears acid toxins from your system and boosts your metabolism. Just look at your skin when you are tired or hung-over, that’s a good one – that is pure dehydration!

Get Hydrated & See The Difference That Shows Up In Your Health 

Just test this for yourself, next time you feel really tired, give yourself a couple of hours and get 2 litres of  good clean alkaline water into you, see how different you feel. I know it sounds a lot, but when you have developed this habit, you will automatically be looking for that water! Keep water with you at all times, it becomes easy!

We often make the mistake of thinking we are hungry when what we really need is water, easy to see this leads to weight problems!

Our body is designed to be alkaline, but unfortunately we with our westernised diet, eat way to much acid forming foods and drinks such as soda’s, sugars, breads, sweets, pizza, chips, alcohol, white rice & pasta, trans-fats, junk food, processed food, dairies, meats and the list goes on!

Animal produce in our day now is poison, full of toxic drugs, If I want to put drugs in my body, then I will make that choice, no one else! We are basically stupid! How can we expect this amazing body to carry us through life and we don’t even learn about it’s needs? We put our body under such strain, we need to assist our body instead of ignoring it! It is so easy to stay healthy when we understand what we are doing to ourselves!

Education is everything! You are everything! You are more important than your job or your business, your body needs and deserves your attention! Without it what have you got? Without your body you have no where to live!

Get Hydrated – Hydration Benefits

• Increase energy
• Flushing of waste & toxins
• Drinking water enhances fat loss
• Grow younger – Drinking water hydrates your skin
• Reduce blood pressure
• Ease joint pain
• Improve digestion
• Relieve constipation

And these are just a few benefits!

To Get Hydrated Means To Get Healthy!

Alkaline water is easy to make yourself,  remember - Alkaline water hydrates up to 17% better than any other water!  Just adding lemon makes your water alkaline, try lemon and lime – gorgeous! I add wild greens mostly, dandelion, rocket and today mint. Then raspberries and apple – very refreshing.

I mix mine in the biggest (glass) jug that I can find and keep it going, just top up with filtered water as you go – keeps me going all day.

I also add crystals to my water, yep – I have worked with crystals for many years and they are simply magic – I will tell you all about the magic of crystal elixirs tomorrow

Get Hydrated – Get Hydrated – Get Hydrated!

Related Posts;

Whats The Big Deal About Alkaline Water?

Juices & Smoothies Alkalize

Be Healthy~ Be Your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Get Hydrated – Fruity Water Elixirs – It Will Change Your Life! appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

Did you know that the Avocado is known as the planets most perfect food? The health benefits we get from this amazing fruit is second to none. This fruit not only contains everything we humans need to survive, but it has also been found to contribute to the prevention and control of many diseases ; Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes – to name a few.

The Avocado fruit originated in Puebla, Mexico and its earliest use dates back to 10,000 years B.C. this is a very popular food within the raw community and for very good reasons.

Most of us know the avocado as the main ingredient of the gorgeous guacamole, but there is so much we can do with this wonder food.

For vegetarian, vegans or raw foodies, this is an excellent substitute for meat in sandwiches, salads or wherever you would have meat normally, personally I like it in juices and smoothies for its creamy texture and of course in my salads and dips. It is also great in deserts, raw chocolate recipes and raw ice cream!

When I was vegetarian and I ate bread, I used to love to mix avocado with tomato & spread on toast, of course I can still do this with raw garlic bread, crackers, wrapped in a lettuce leaf or filling for peppers etc,.

Avocados are considered as one of the healthiest foods on the planet because they contain more than 25 essential nutrients, including vitamin A, B, C, E, and K, they have copper, iron, phosporus, magnesium, and potassium.

They are a good source of fibre, protein, and several beneficial phytochemicals such as beta-sitosterol, glutathione and lutein, which help to protect us against various diseases and illnesses.

Many people are wary of the avocado because of its high fat content, but it is mostly the monounsaturated fat which is a healthy fat, and we do need healthy fat!

Smooth Avocado Juice

The Health Benefits Of Avocado

• Foltate – a water soluble b vitamin which promotes healthy cell and tissue development. The National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements say – “This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folate is also essential for metabolism of homocysteine and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.” 

• Vitamin B6 – also helps to regulate homocysteine levels. High level of homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. B6 aids our memory too. 

• Vitamin E –  studies show high doses of Vitamin E can neutralize free radicals and the buildup of proteins to reverse the memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients, reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s in the early stages and retard the progression of the disease. 

• Beta-sitosterol – shown to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels and controlling many other issues like allergies, asthma, bronchitis, psoriasis  migraines, rheumatoid arthritis and much more. 

• Oleic acid and Potassium – these nutrients also help in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of high blood pressure. 

• Anti-Inflammatory  - polyphenols and flavonoids have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce the risk of inflammatory and degenerative disorders. 

• lutein – a type of  carotene (natural pigment) protects against cataracts - helps protect against some kinds of cancers. 

• Monounsaturated Fats — These types of fats help control triglycerides in the bloodstream, lower blood cholesterol, control diabetes and helps to prevent breast cancer. 

• Glutathione – a powerful antioxidants that helps fight free radicals in the body which cause disease and and rapid aging. The glutathione also boosts immune systems, and encourages a healthy nervous system.

Avocado Increases Nutrient Absorption

Studies show Avocado consumption is linked with an increased nutrient absorption.

A recent study reported that avocado included in the diet regularly proved to act as a nutrient boost by increasing carotenoid absorption.

The people who ate avocado absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (a group of nutrients that includes beta carotene and lycopene) than those who did not include these powerful antioxidants.

Avocado For Skin Care 

Good for the outside too – the avocado has a well-earned reputation for keeping skin looking young, beautiful and moist. Centuries after their first discovery, avocados are making a a cosmetic comeback to fight aging, dry and acne prone skin. You will find that the oil from avocado is added to many cosmetics because of its ability to nourish the skin and make it glow. It also aids in treating psoriasis, decreasing irritation and redness.

Avocado & Weight 

The avocado has 200 calories for 100 grams, if you are someone who needs to gain weight then include plenty of these. Avocado is a healthy source of calories, unlike many other calorie-dense foods that may contain excess saturated fats and sugar. It is high in calories so we do need to be careful but… the healthy fat actually helps us to lose weight, if we cut all fat, and stay low calorie, we will not maintain good weight or good health.

I used avocado a lot in my early days of studying healthy diets and finding myself confused and unsure that I was getting all I need, I understood the benefits of avocado so included 1/2  everyday to keep everything topped up while I learned more!

Don’t be afraid of the avocado it is your friend and could be more!

Related Posts;

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Healthy Raw Dips (Avocado)

Recipes For Juices & Smoothies 

Be Healthy ~ Be Your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Avocado – Perfect Food For Perfect Health appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

Avocado Juice – yes it looks like a smoothie, and even the texture is a little like a smoothie, if you have been following me for any length of time, you will know that smoothies are not really my thing, I prefer juices, but that is just habit, I am used to the texture of juice, I have been juicing for a very long time now, and smoothies don’t do it for me the same as juice does, this one however is a little like in between the two…

Smooth Avocado Juice, Is it a juice or a smoothie – well its kinda both and this texture is great for me, I add a fair bit of water to my smoothies, I just don’t like them too thick.

Smooth Avocado Juice

Oh I love this Avocado Juice, so, not as thick as a smoothie just how I like it and tastes divine!

As I said Juices are my thing, but this Avocado Juice is fab if you need something a little more filling than juice, it would be a great breakfast leaving you feeling fuller for longer and the avocado is a complete food with great health benefits.

Juices are to me a marvel, a miracle in a glass, they are like an injection of nutrients that reach every cell in our body very quickly as there is no fibre to slow down the digestion, smoothies on the other hand are slower to digest as we still have the fibre, but more like a satisfying meal leaving us fuller for longer, this avocado smooth Juice is the perfect option for me – a bit of both.

If you are a busy person or have physical demands, smoothies would most like be a better option for you, you could try having a smoothie for breakfast and the whole fruit on the go to keep up your energy.

Avocado is great for people who have a lot of physical work to do and a favourite among athletes!

Avocado Juice

Ingredients;

• 3-4 spinach leaves (I used large ones)
• 3-4  Kale leaves
• handful of wild leaves - dandelion, rocket * optional
• about 6 mange tout * optional
• 3 sticks of celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 1 green apple
• half a medium avocado

Juice everything but the avocado – put the avocado in a blender with a little of the juice and maybe a little filtered water – blend until smooth and then add to your juice and mix well.

Some people like to just put all of the juice in the blender along with any ingredient that they have to blend, it will produce an even creamy mix, however, I don’t like to do this as I feel it is over processing, my avocado juice mix is already broken down and the high speed of the blender is in my mind too much to do again, I want to retain the nutrients as much as possible, so I would rather add water to blend the avocado and this will also create a less thick drink which is to my preference.

The wild greens I add to this avocado Juice, I use everyday, they are very beneficial but if you are not used to your greens yet, leave them out for now. Also you can adjust the amount of leaves to your taste, but do try to increase the amount, you will learn to love them I promise.

I added the mange tout just because I had them and they add a little sweetness.

This avocado smooth Juice is definitely a complete nutritious bomb, it will fuel your body with everything it needs!

Read here the benefits of avocado ; Health Benefits of Avocado

Enjoy Your Avocado Juice!

Related posts;

Avocado the complete Food

Recipes For Juices & Smoothies

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Be Healthy ~ Be Your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Avocado Juice – Is It A Juice Or Smoothie? appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

I just had to share this awesome article from my good friend Amy at vomitingchicken.com Did you know that you can improve the outcome of your garden by choosing carefully what crop each vegetable is growing near?  This idea is called “Companion Planting” and there’s a lot to learn about it. 

This is fabulous stuff and makes so much sense!

Thanks Amy - vomitingchicken.com

Companion planting: your new best friend

I’ve been gardening for . . . well, for forever and I learn something new every season about it.  It is, in essence, the planting of different crops in proximity in your garden, on the theory that they help each other in nutrient uptake, pest control, pollination, and other factors. It’s a form of polyculture, if you’re interested!

Peppers like to grow near tomatoes, geraniums, and petunias.

Companion planting has been re-discovered in recent years by the organic gardening crowd, but it has been practiced for centuries.

The native Americans used it before the European settlers set boot over here.  One common system they used was to plant corn and pole beans together.  This is perhaps the most well-known example of companion gardening. The cornstalk would provide a support for the beans to climb, while the beans would fix nitrogen in the soil, which benefited the corn.

We’re talking symbiotic relationships here, people.  Squash or pumpkins were also grown with this group, to provide a living mulch at the “feet” of the corn plants.  This system was called the “Three Sisters” technique.

Here are a few more companion planting suggestions that will whet your appetite to learn more before you put your garden in this spring:

•  Nasturtiums seems to protect brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) from damage from the cabbage caterpillar.
•  Marigolds have a strong smell which seems to deter aphids from feeding on neighboring crops, and also attract hoverflies, the larvae of which are predators of aphids. 
• I grow them from seed and poke them in any place I have a little space. They’re so cheerful!
•  All alliums (onions, garlic, shallots) benefit a number of crops by repelling aphids and other pests. 
• (My dad says, by the way, that if you plant onions with potatoes, the potatoes’ eyes will water and thus be self-watering . . . )
• Growing basil with tomatoes, studies have found, can increase the yield of the tomato plants by 20%.  That’s a lot of ‘maters, folks!
•  Planting radishes near squash, cucumber, lettuce and eggplant will repel cucumber beetles and flea beetles.

There!  Are you not intrigued?  Are you not fascinated by this?  I have been for years (fascinated!) and it has been my own personal little science experiment each year to plan my garden and see what likes what.

Does the presence of Olly benefit these just-picked melons?

Ready to try it for yourself? There are lots of resources online, and several excellent books written on the subject, as well.  Here’s an eZine article I found which can whet your appetite to learn more, too.  Happy gardening!

Companion Planting Will Maximise Your Veggie Crops

By Annette Welsford

Whether you are planting a new garden or replanting one that has been growing for years, attention to companion planting is guaranteed to improve your homegrown crops.

It’s a simple concept based on the way nature works… naturally. For instance one plant’s enemy is another plant’s food. Some bad bugs have pet hates, so by planting or introducing what they don’t like, you can protect the plants that they would otherwise feed on. And then there are plants that have something to offer other plants, be it shade, or some sort of nutrient they put into the soil. You will also find that some plants provide other plants with specific nourishment.

A Fatal Attraction for Bad Bugs

Here the trick is to plant whatever attracts the nasties. For instance, the tiny black aphids that chomp their way through young cabbages, broccoli and other veggies provide a feast for nasturtiums. These easy-growing herbs attract the aphids with their sticky juices that effectively end up smothering large numbers of these damaging mini-bugs.

Growing Plants that Deter Bugs

An interesting fact about companion planting is that not all plants like – or dislike – the same bugs. Similarly, while some plants (like carrots) love tomatoes, some plants (like dill and asparagus) loath tomatoes.

Some examples of plants that will deter bad bugs include:

•  pennyroyal that keeps worms and beetles away from strawberries,
• asparagus and marigolds both help to protect tomatoes from harmful nematodes in the soil,
• lemon verbena that will keep flies, aphids and midges away from all vegetables and fruit trees,
• just about any plant that is related to garlic or onions, including chives (in particular garlic will chase off potato bugs) 

Plants that Have Other Benefits for Companion Plants

Providing shade is a biggie, but you need to be sure that the shade giver actually likes the plant you choose to be its companion. Sweetcorn is an excellent provider of shade and works well with a lot of other plants, including pumpkin that will creep around towering corn plants, producing fruit at ground level. It can also be a support for some climbing flower plants.

Fennel is one of the few plants that most other plants hate! But there are a couple of veggies that like fennel, including gem squash and spring onions (or green onions).

There are many more plants that benefit from just about anything. Yarrow is a good example as it attracts ladybirds and wasps that both love to eat aphids. Most plants are fond of yarrow.

Picking Plants that Deter Bugs

Just as we can use leaves and other parts of certain plants to make organic pesticides, or to rid our environment of pests (scented geraniums are great for mosquitoes, freshly crushed tomato and basil leaves will usually get rid of flies, and sprigs of catnip will get rid of ants), there are similar steps we can take within the garden itself. Here are two possibilities:

• Don’t rake up the leaves from oak trees. Instead use them to create a barrier around garden beds where lettuces are growing and they’ll keep the snails and slugs away.
• If you’re a fan of grapefruit, cut them in half and scoop out the fruit, then use the skin “shells” to attract slugs. Simply place them upside down in any part of the garden where slugs are a problem and remove them, together with slug invaders, the next day.

Ultimately you need to be aware of which plants do well together, and which don’t. Probably one of the very best examples of companion planting is illustrated by the relationship between tomatoes and asparagus. They really are best friends because not only will the solanine contained in tomatoes protect asparagus plants from insect attack, but it also encourages growth in the asparagus.

Annette Welsford is the author of best selling book Companion Planting for Veggies!

That is awesome and I am so glad I read Amy’s post today as I am in the middle of planting my new veg plot, I will definitely be companion planting!

Thanks Amy

Cher.

The post Companion Planting – Protecting And Nurturing Your Crop appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

Thank goodness spring is finally here, well fingers crossed it stay’s, doors open at last, bright sunshine, time in the garden and time for the spring clean! I have thought a couple of times that spring is here – but no – it was only teasing!

Sunshine just makes us feel so good doesn’t it? I just want to spring clean everything in site, making way for new growth. Now I know I have recently done a juice cleanse, but I love this feeling of wanting to clear out everything, let the fresh air in and get the energy flowing.

I am a big Feng Shui fan, and love the feeling of being in harmony with everything, right now I feel like I am stretching and breathing with the new life that is reaching up from the earth!

So, I am going to do a short juice cleanse probably only 3-4 days, it kind of goes in hand with cleaning everything else in your life, like a complete ritual to make way for the new.

Spring Clean Inside & Out

Yep, cleaning our house, our surroundings and our body definitely goes hand in hand, if you have ever done this you will know what I mean. Just cleaning a part of your life seems crazy, its like cleaning just one area of a room and leaving the rest, it isn’t complete and has no real affect, just as I am clearing the debris for my plants to grow with ease, nothing in the way of their growth.

I think spring is my favourite time of year, I love to watch what is coming up in the garden, this year is particularly good as it is my first summer in this house, so really exciting to see what will present itself in the garden. When we have harmony and balance, and we are in tune with nature, it is interesting that we find the perfect plant or herb that is just right for our personal medicine, healing and balance, fascinating study!

So the last few days I have been clearing the garden,  and planting new bits and pieces that I have been afraid to plant until now – you never know if we are going to have frost again or even snow is possible – what a strange winter!

I love the garden and feel I am clearing my mind at the same time, gardening is fab therapy, the complete spring clean of all my surroundings and myself creates such peace, I can’t explain it!

Anyway, I digress a little, ha ha, (not like me at all is it?) so back to the juice for my spring clean!

Spring Clean With Ginger

I always have my hot water and lemon in the morning, but today I had another of my favourites – the Juice master Ginger shot, this is a fab wake up shot, and perfect for my spring clean, if you need coffee to wake you in the morning , you should try the Ginger shot, its awesome and without the lows!

Ginger is perfect for my spring clean as it is so powerful for our digestive tract, and without our digestive system working efficiently we have no chance of absorbing good nutrients. Just as new growth in the garden cannot get the benefit from the sun while clogged with rubbish!

I would definitely include this in the autumn and winter months too for building the immune system and avoiding the bugs, but for now – bring on the spring clean!

Spring Clean Ginger shot..

• 1/2 apple     
• chunk of ginger
• That’s it!

Just add apple and however much ginger you like to your juicer and that’s it, this is medicine – just a shot full, knock it back.

I have to admit I m not a fan of ginger so am a little stingy on the amount that I add. Personally I would prefer not to have ginger – but hey, I want the benefits and perfect for my spring clean! I add a little cinnamon to mine – extra health benefits – see article below.

We all know the wonders of ginger for adding a spicy flavour to our food, and most people will know that ginger is a digestive aid, but wait – it has many more health benefits than that:

Look at all these health benefits;

• Relieves stomach pain
• Helps menstrual cramps
• Migraine prevention
• Cold and flu prevention
• Good for morning & travel sickness
• Anti-inflammatory – thought to provide pain relief in a number of ways, from halting migraines in their tracks, to easing the aches of arthritis.
• Antihistamine – great for springtime then – especially if you want to be in the garden.
• Powerful antioxidant
• Cancer prevention 

I always say anything that is used in Chinese medicine is good enough for me!

Ginger is said to be more powerful than any antibiotic – music to my ears!

Ginger is so easy to use too, teas, juices, soups … how would you use ginger? I will be adding loads for my spring clean.

I will like ginger, I will, I WILL!

watch this video below you may be surprised by the healing power of ginger!

Re-grow your ginger and never be without your powerful natural healing medicine!

Buy a good piece of ginger (organic if possible) - look for piece with lots of new buds, break a piece off with a new bud, you can soak it overnight, this may help, but it doesn’t need to stay in the water until roots appear, I find ginger to be much happier in soil. Plant about 5-10 cm deep in a pot of good soil.

Soon the plant will begin to grow. When your ginger plant is about 4 months old, you can begin to cut pieces of the root by digging it up, cutting off a piece and then replanting. After around 10 months the plant leaves will begin to die down and then it’s time to completely harvest the ginger root. Break off a chunk of your new harvested root and replant it to start the process over. Never buy Ginger again!

I like to keep mine in pots, it makes a gorgeous plant that I can save from the bad weather by bringing it inside.

Ginger does not like the cold, so bring it in in the winter if you want to keep it going.

So will you be including ginger in your health regime?

Related Posts;

Regrow Food From Kitchen Scraps

Magical  Cinnamon

Be Healthy ~ Be Your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Spring Clean Inside & Out – Healing With Ginger appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

The wonderful root vegetable the radish, originates back to Asia, Japan & China but grows wild all over Europe and the Mediterranean, and more recently the US, do you think Mother Earth is trying to tell us something? Being as most of us suffer with poor digestion due to our modern diet, maybe we should listen to our dear Mother Earth?

The radish is also said to be a beautifying food too, due to its rejuvenating properties, red being favourite for this.

Radish – Huge Health Benefits – Huge!

The red, also known as the melon radish, is extremely high in Sulphur and Silicon, high Vitamin C, which plays a major role in connective tissue – beautifying!

Vitamin C, combined with sulphur and silicon will provide us with glowing skin, hmm, have a boat load of that then!

The black radish being stronger, is capable of dissolving mucous in our digestive tract, mostly created by eating too many starchy foods, like breads, cakes & pasta.

This medicinal vegetable will stimulate the liver and create more bile flow, so allowing for cleansing of the entire digestive system as well as clearing and preventing gallstones - used in Chinese medicine to increase digestive fire.

This amazing root vegetable contains a compound called Raphanin, which can help with auto-immune diseases, and balances thyroid activity both under and overactive, so controlling weight.

They contain folic acid (B 9) which means they are a great nerve tonic too.

Black Radish

Considered a medicine in wiser cultures, it is a good source of fibre, added to our juice, it will improve peristalsis, and helps to move digested food through the gastrointestinal system. Black Radish is also used in Chinese medicine for controlling and eliminating constipation and bowel disturbance so bringing balance back to the digestive organs.

Black radish is rather strong in flavour, we can use it in sauces or condiments and grated on salads as well as added to vegetable juices or smoothies. High in vitamin C and most of the vitamin B complex, as well as a high level of potassium, in addition to other minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It also contains zinc and trace amounts of copper, manganese, and selenium. Powerful huh?

Daikon Radish

The long white root – milder in flavour.  Daikon is a Japanese word, meaning large root, apparently brought to Japan from China, although Its origins are traced back to the Mediterranean region.

All radishes are considered a health food.

Healing Benefits

• Increased Immune function
• Improved digestion
• Improved bowel function
• protection against heart disease
• Slowing of aging process
• DNA  and  tissue repair
• Improved circulation
• Regulates blood pressure
• Balances hormones
• Osteoporosis Protection
• Stroke Prevention

 ”Eating pungent radish and drinking hot tea, let the starved doctors beg on their knees.”

Ancient Chinese proverb……………

Be Healthy ~  Be your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Radish – Amazing Health Benefits – Give Me Radish! appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.

So, I was talking to a new friend about dairy allergies in infants of nursing Mum’s. Patricia is feeding her 2 week old baby and as baby is unsettled, would it be a good idea to change to coconut milk from soy?

Patricia ;

“I’m wanting to know if it would be worth switching to coconut milk instead of soy milk for Dani’s sake (while breastfeeding) as I’m finding that she’s still a little unsettled with the soy although much better than she was on cows.”

Patricia is concerned that baby Dani maybe lactose intolerant.

Dairy Allergies in infants

Firstly, there is a difference between lactose intolerance and an allergy to milk or dairy, or dairy allergies in infants.

It is actually rare for a baby to be lactose intolerant, this condition does not usually develop until much later in the child’s life, usually teens or even adult.

In rare cases, new born babies can be lactose-intolerant. Some premature babies have temporary lactose intolerance because they are not yet able to make lactase, but this will disappear as baby begins to make lactase. (enzyme)

Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy foods. When we have lactose intolerance, this means we have trouble digesting lactose, Lactose intolerance does not mean you are allergic to milk, but you will probably feel bad after drinking milk or eating cheese, ice cream, or anything else containing lactose.

Dairy allergies in infants are often mistaken for lactose intolerance.

Our small intestine normally makes a substance called lactase, an enzyme that breaks lactose down into simpler sugars called glucose. These sugars are then easier for our body to digest and turn into energy.

So simply put, if we do not make enough lactase then we are lactose intolerant, but not necessarily allergic to milk or dairy. However, because we cannot digest the lactose, then milk is going to upset our tummy and especially so for baby, most likely leading to gas, cramps, a bloated feeling, and diarrhea = dairy allergies in infants.

Milk and dairy products are also very mucous forming, very difficult for baby = Dairy allergies in infants.

The truth is that milk and dairy are not good for any of us. But – while pregnant or nursing it is important to get enough calcium.

OK, first let’s talk about Soy.

Soy Verses Dairy Allergies in Infants

I remember when I first became aware of diet and health foods, soy was the wonder food then, the mega protein that was suggested to replace dairy if you desired to become vegetarian or vegan.

Then it all went horribly wrong;

Sally Fallon & Mary G Enig produced an anti-soy campaign and wrote an article called ‘Tragedy & Hype’.

There were some wild accusations made in this article and they were pretty scary, next thing everyone was on the band wagon.

I am glad I never did soy – why? Well because how can we trust anything? The times we hear something is wonderful, and then it’s dangerous as well as vice versa, which is most likely my main reason for being slightly paranoid with my diet over the years, and even anorexic when I was younger – I didn’t want to eat anything!

Things such as the following I find very scary;

• The arthritis drug Opren was tested on monkeys, no problems were found, but it killed 61 people before it was withdrawn.
• Cylert had OK results for animals, but when it was given to hyperactive children it caused liver failure!

Anti Soy campaign;

• An infant taking the recommended amount of soy formula is consuming a hormone load equivalent of 4 birth control pills a day! Is it any wonder we’ve seen such a dramatic rise in precocious puberty with young girls starting their periods at 6 and 7?
• Soy will destroy your thyroid. Many foods are goitrogenic (thyroid suppressing), but soy is king of them all.

Is this true?

This is an on-going debate and I believe it will be a while before we get to the truth. The fact is that our Asian friends who are healthy on soy, have a product that is not interfered with to start with, not modified or monetised! And they only eat 2 teaspoons of soy per day, usually as a condiment, and it’s highly fermented which makes it more easily digested.

My Opinion – I don’t know! I am not a scientist, but I would not risk it and certainly not for an infant. I would look at the health aspects of one of the most highly gmo’d products on this planet –  soy, corn, cotton and canola.

I believe your body tells you what is right and I never got into soy, so I wouldn’t know.

Dairy Allergies In Infants - No Dairy – No Soy – So What?

Well I would say nut milks, coconut milk & coconut oil and vary it – we don’t want baby getting nut allergy either.

Breast milk contains MCFAs, or medium-chain fatty acids, these too are found in coconut oil and in coconut milk, but we would need fresh coconut, not something from the supermarket shelf.

Baby would do well to absorb these nutrients from Mum, this is why coconut oil is added to baby formula.

It would be a little expensive buying fresh coconut all the time, so perhaps a good organic coconut oil is a better option.

This would be good for both Mum and baby;

A nursing Mum who consumes coconut oil will produce more MSCA’s in her milk to help nourish and protect baby from infections and illness. Good for nappy rash too!

One Study was done where coconut oil and vegetable oil was added to the formula of 46 very low birth weight babies to see if it would help the babies put on weight, the babies who had the coconut oil progressed more quickly, but they grew, not added fat.

So, nut milks – again only homemade, don’t take anything from the shelf, it is so easy to make at home, much cheaper and no additives to give it shelf life. And make sure your nuts are raw. See Recipe Below.

Use organic coconut oil, and I would take a calcium supplement while nursing for both Mum and babies sake, most likely put an end to dairy allergies in infants.

My last piece of advice –  you would do amazing things for both you and baby by including green juices and smoothies to your morning. It would help you to get back to being you, keep your energy high, and feed baby awesome nutrients! Lots of calcium in dark greens!

Hope this helps answer some questions about dairy allergies in infants.

Related Posts;

Easy To Make Almond Milk

My Favourite Nut Milk

Why We Need To Soak Nuts

Recipes For Juices & Smoothies

Be Healthy ~ Be Your Best

Love & Light

Cher

The post Dairy Allergies In Infants Of Nursing Mum’s appeared first on Raw Food Energy Benefits.