It is about 80% sugar, so we may not benefit from Winnie the Pooh-level quantities of the stuff. However, I disagree with anyone who says it’s no different from standard white sugar – and there’s plenty of science out there to back me up. There are so many things that are awesome about honey as opposed to sugar.

Note that a lot of the studies looking at these effects use unprocessed honey, rather than the supercheap, super runny honey you can get in the supermarket. But you don’t have to spend a fortune on imported Manuka honey. Local honey is usually unprocessed, just as good, and supports local bees and their keepers.

Here are 8 gifts that honey provides any day of the week:

1. Honey is more effective than cough syrup for sore and scratchy throats. It’s an instant soother, and also anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory, so ticks all your winter virus boxes.

2. Its wonder-nutrients can handle a little heat, so go ahead and stir a little into porridge and herbal teas – thyme tea, chamomile tea and ginger tea are all excellent choices for sore throats.

3. It’s also great for cuts, ulcers, and minor burns – it’s a natural antiseptic, plus the propolis stimulates collagen building.

4. There are over 500 polyphenols in the propolis alone in honey, which is why it has so many anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other health-giving properties.

5. Polyphenols (such as those in honey) are food for your microbiome, which is the frontline of your immune system.

6. Polyphenols also help with blood sugar management – and indeed honey has shown anti-diabetic effects in people with Type 2 diabetes, such as improving fasting blood glucose levels.

7. Honey may help reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels too.

8. Local beekeepers are more likely to use sustainable approaches, which means buying local honey supports the pollinators and general ecosystem where you live.

Local honey finder – England, Scotland, Wales

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post 8 things that are awesome about honey appeared first on Silver Magazine.

If you’re keen to boost your collagen but you’re not mad for going the marine route, and would rather something vegan or vegetarian, don’t worry. What you eat can really make a difference.

If you want to know more about how to generate more collagen in a vegan or vegetarian diet, read this article.

This tasty and easy-to-make tofu rice bowl is vegan and includes lots of the nutrients needed to help your body boost its collagen. It’s a superfood meal that packs a delicious garlicky, gingery punch.

Vegan Collagen Bowl (serves 2)

Ingredients

• 100g short grain brown rice (or brown basmati if you can’t find short grain)
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 300g firm tofu
• 2tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
• 3-4tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1/2 thumb fresh ginger, grated
• 1 bulb garlic, minced or finely chopped
• 100g green beans
• 1 onion
• 50g pine nuts
• 200g spinach
• 1-2tbsp tahini
• Approx. 1 cup water

Method

Ideally soak the rice overnight in water then rinse well before starting.

1. Bring the rice to the boil in a pan of water with the vegetable stock cube crumbled in then simmer, covered. It will need about 40-45 minutes

2. Slice the tofu into cubes and marinade in a mixture of olive oil, tamari or soya sauce, ginger and garlic

3. Top and tail the green beans and chop them into 2cm lengths, and add them to the cooking rice about 15-20 minutes in

4. Finely chop the onion and fry until soft and starting to caramelise – then keep in a small bowl ready to stir into the rice later

5. Gently stir fry the tofu and pine nuts until starting to brown – you may not need any extra oil as the marinade coating the tofu may be enough – keep the marinade separate for the sauce

6. Steam or boil the spinach for 1-2 minutes, until it softens

7. Vigorously stir the tahini into the marinade, gradually adding water until the consistency is of a thick but pourable sauce

8. Time for assembly: drain the rice and beans, stirring in the onions, and serve into bowls; layer the spinach on top, sprinkle the tofu and pine nuts to make the final layer, and serve with a jar or small bowl of the tahini dressing.

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post Vegan collagen-boosting bowl recipe appeared first on Silver Magazine.

As we age, our bodies produce less collagen. Our skin is built of 95 per cent collagen, which is responsible for its ping-back-ability. As it reduces, fine lines and wrinkle begin to appear. 

By increasing ingredients in our diet that help build and protect collagen, we can support and nourish our skin. You’ll reap the benefits of reduced fine lines, and an increase in the skin’s UV protection.

But collagen isn’t just about your skin. The same nutrients that keep your skin youthful are required for flexible joints, strong bones and a healthy gut. They’re all made of connective tissue, and therefore all require the same raw materials. The largest of which is collagen.

Building collagen in your diet

Collagen is a protein structure, which we can create from amino acids. Although amino acids are the basis for building collagen in the body, you’ll need extra minerals and nutrients to complete the repurposing of the amino acids.

Read how to get amino acids in your diet in part 1: The benefits of collagen in your diet – and what if you’re vegan?

Here are the specific vitamins and nutrients you’ll need to support the production of collagen, and what foods you’ll find them in.

Vitamin C

Fruit is a good source of vitamin C, and so are green leafy vegetables, onions and herbs. The less cooked the better – so garnish meals with fresh herbs in the winter to increase your intake.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which means it can protect the skin from sun damage and other causes of photoageing. High levels of vitamin C were given to 4,025 women aged 40-74 in one study, and they reported fewer wrinkles and an improvement in dry skin.

Copper

Nuts and seeds are not just great for proteins, they are also a good source of copper, another co-factor for making collagen – and you may be pleased to hear that so is dark chocolate. 

Iron

Tofu, beans, chickpeas, lentils, spinach and chard are useful vegan sources of iron – and so is dark chocolate. Eating them with something rich in vitamin C helps you to absorb more of this mineral, so fruit dipped in dark chocolate, perhaps, or a chickpea salad with raw baby spinach  leaves. If you like blackstrap molasses, that’s also excellent for iron – it’s great in porridge and flapjacks.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is known to help reduce collagen degradation, and a number of studies have also looked at how well it works in combination with vitamin C and other antioxidants.

You can find vitamin E in nuts, seeds, spinach, chard and avocados. There’s a bit of a theme developing here in terms of foods rich in collagen ingredients – time for some nutty spinach salads, perhaps?

Zinc

Zinc deficiency can have a detrimental effect on collagen production, but you can get plenty of zinc from nuts and seeds too. Zinc-rich foods like nuts were among those associated with fewer wrinkles in a Monash University study of 453 elderly Greeks, Swedes and Australians.

You can also get good levels of zinc from tofu, lentils, chickpeas and oats.

Silicon

Silicon is understood to help form crosslinks in collagen that provide structure and enable some of collagen’s properties and functions.

The most silicon-rich foods are green beans, bananas, wholegrains – and beer! Unfortunately alcohol seems to be one of the causes of collagen degradation, though, so go easy on those craft ales.

Research suggests that we absorb less silicon the older we get, especially females, so we may need to top up with a supplement – or eat lots of green beans and bananas.

Collagen protection

Some nutrients can protect the collagen that you’re making from sun and smoke damage, as well as natural ageing. Eating a rainbow of fruit and vegetables will give you a broad range of these, as many of them are pigments that give foods their colour. Some that have been studied for their skin protection include:

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin are both yellow pigments found in dark green, leafy vegetables including spinach and kale. Lutein seems to be able to protect the skin by absorbing blue-light and quenching free-radicals that may be produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight.

One study showed that a daily dose of 10mg lutein was effective at improving skin quality, but adding zeaxanthin more than doubled the benefits. Skin hydration increased by 60 per cent, skin elasticity by 20 per cent and the amount of superficial lipids present in the skin by 50 per cent. Those same lipids were oxidised 64 per cent less than without the lutein and zeaxanthin, so that’s a significant amount of protection. This is no surprise, as nutrients that are found side by side in nature often work together synergistically.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is another antioxidant known to protect human skin from UV damage. It’s in chocolate (again!), as well as in red wine, especially from grapes grown in more northern climates as the skins make more resveratrol to protect against mould. A square or 2 of dark chocolate a day and a couple of small glasses of red wine a week may be more than sufficient, though – more than that may be counterproductive due to the alcohol and/or sugar they contain. So get the good stuff and savour it slowly. 

Hyaluronic hydration

Finally, it’s not just about the collagen. Your skin also needs to be plump and hydrated. Yes, you need water for this, but you also need a magical substance called hyaluronic acid that helps draw water into your skin.

NAG

You make hyaluronic acid from N-acetyl glucosamine – or NAG. A small 2001 study gave 53 women a food supplement that contained NAG alongside amino acids, minerals and antioxidants for 5 weeks. They had a 34 per cent reduction in the number of both visible wrinkles and fine lines compared to the control group who didn’t take the supplement. NAG is often marine derived, but can also be synthesised from corn, so check you’re taking the vegan form if you are fish-free.

How often should you include collagen nutrients?

Your skin renews itself every few weeks, the process generally slowing as we get older. So you need to include daily support, but you may not see results straight away.

Even if you are taking a collagen supplement or using a collagen cream, you might benefit from including nutritional support for your skin. Studies are starting to show that what you eat alongside collagen supplements affect how well you digest and absorb them, and their subsequent impact on your skin health.

There are also vegan supplements that contain some or many of the nutrients above, such as:

• Raw Beauty Lab’s Vegan Collagen Superfood
• Cytoplan’s Vegan Collagen (contains Vollagen)
• Together Health’s Beautiful Hair, Skin & Nail
• My Vitamin’s Plant Collagen powder
• Viridian’s S.P.F. Skin Pro-Factors
• Vivo Life’s Plant Protein Collagen Builder

And remember that these will all nourish your bones, joints and digestive tract too.

So whether you’re after glowing skin with healthy ping-back-ability, or a full range of health benefits, get some vegan collagen support in your diet every day.

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post How to generate more collagen in a vegan or vegetarian diet appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Wrinkles and fine lines are signs that we’re still here, have lived to tell the tale, and perhaps gained some wisdom and insights along the way. One of which might be that it’s totally fine to want to keep your skin looking and feeling vibrant if you want to. The benefits of collagen can do just that, even if you’re vegan.

In fact, nourishing your skin can not only make you feel and look great, it also keeps you healthy. Your skin is an integral part of your immune system, forming a physical barrier to many toxins.

The same nutrients that keep your skin youthful are needed for flexible joints, strong bones and a healthy gut, too. They’re all made of connective tissue, and so all require the same raw materials. The largest of which is collagen.

What does collagen do?

The underlying layer of your skin (your dermis), is made up of 95 per cent collagen proteins, and these are what enable your skin to ping back if you tug at it. You tend to produce fewer of these as you age, and your skin starts to lose its ping-back-ability. Instead, gravity wins out, causing sagging, drooping and wrinkling. When you frown, laugh and express yourself, your face stops smoothing itself out again as fully as before.

There are now lots of studies showing the benefits of marine and bovine collagen supplements

Added to this is photoageing caused by sun damage: those pesky ultraviolet rays. Year in year out, your skin works hard to repair itself, each time creating tiny layers of scar tissue. This scar tissue builds up to form wrinkles, rough skin, brown spots and other pigmentation changes. Cigarette smoke and pollution impair collagen fibres further, and you might also be genetically structured in a way that makes you more susceptible to collagen damage.

The good news is that adding ready-made collagen can help. There are now lots of studies showing the benefits of marine and bovine collagen supplements on dry, wrinkly and damaged skin.

But what if you’re vegetarian or vegan?

There are new vegan laboratory-engineered products, like Vollagen that contains the same range and ratios of amino acids as collagen, and PrimaColl, which mimics its structure. These are very new, and initial reports seem promising. You can also increase your intake of nutrients that help you to make more of your own collagen, as well as protect the collagen that’s already there. Here’s how you can do that on a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Silver’s Pro Ageing Stem Cell Regenerator Serum is vegan, 100% natural, and collagen-free

Collagen ingredients

The actual ingredients you need to make collagen are fairly simple, as it’s a protein structure – so you just need amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.

Amino acids

Eating more tofu can help

Collagen is made of 18 different amino acids, and you should be able to consume or make plenty of those from a vegan or vegetarian diet – but not everyone does. So here are tips for getting enough amino acids into a plant-based diet:

• Have tofu, tempeh, beans, chickpeas or lentils with every meal
• Also include a variety of nuts and seeds
• Vary your grains: wheat, oats, rice, barley, rye and millet all contain small amounts of protein, as does quinoa
• The more different kinds of all of these things you include over a typical day or week, the more different kinds of amino acid you will have
• This will also provide a better variety of plant fibres, which should help your microbiome do a better job of keeping your skin healthy

If you are vegetarian, the same applies, but you can also include eggs and dairy products, such as cheese and milk, as these are also rich in amino acids.

Your body will use vitamins and nutrients, like vitamin C and iron, when repurposing these amino acids into collagen. It’s likely that you’ll already have a some of these nutrients in your diet already. However, if you don’t have enough, you’ll need to make some changes to your diet to increase these nutrients. 

Learn how to get more of these nutrients in part 2 – How to generate more collagen in a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post The benefits of collagen in your diet – and what if you’re vegan? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Brain fog is one of the most common and least appreciated signs of menopause. That ‘cotton wool brain’ where focus, memory, and concentration have drifted off elsewhere. The impact of this can range from mildly annoying for some, to sadly quite debilitating for others.

Swathes of perimenopausal mid-lifers have reported refusing promotions, for example, or giving up jobs and businesses they’ve loved and succeeded in, all because they can’t cognitively cope any more.

My mind has always been pretty sharp, but I’ve had brief spells of brain fog for decades when I’m tired, stressed or run down. Mostly I start losing words. Names of famous people and friends, and just random words I want to put in a sentence.

I love words, so forgetting them is a considerable frustration. One that, since perimenopause, has become more and more frequent, along with dwindling concentration levels and limited patience to deal with it all.

Is it brain fog, or dementia?

My first concern, like many my age (53), was whether this was the first throes of Alzheimer’s disease. It seems, however, that menopausal brain fog is a temporary state, and I’m likely to get my mojo back at some point. In the meantime, as a nutritional therapist, I’ve been researching everything I can do to support my perimenopausal brain.

My first concern, like many my age, was whether this was the first throes of Alzheimer’s

So why does it happen in the first place? Like most activity in our fantastically complex bodies, we don’t fully understand. But we do know that the reproductive hormones progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone are important to the health of our brain cells, and protective against both cognitive and mental decline.

So when progesterone and testosterone start dropping, and oestrogen starts fluctuating in perimenopause – which can last for sometimes a decade – this is bound to have an impact. The first year after menopause, when periods stop for good, has been found to be the worst for brain fog, and that’s when oestrogen levels are likely to plummet.

Stress, menopause, and brain fog

Stress can contribute to brain fog

Midlife is also a time when we tend to have an awful lot on the many plates we might be spinning. With women increasingly choosing to have families later in life, perimenopause can often coincide with one’s children going through puberty, and the loss or additional support needs of elderly parents. By now we may also be struggling under the weight of accumulated responsibilities, traumas and general world-weariness. All of which can takes its toll on our short-term memory and general cognitive state.

Midlife is also a time when we tend to have an awful lot on the many plates we might be spinning

Our stress hormones and reproductive hormones are so closely linked that we need to support both at the same time. Stress hormones are made in the adrenals, and we make them all the time in a rhythm that usually contributes to health and wellbeing.

Elevated stress hormones, however, can disrupt menstrual cycles and fertility, and may impact hormonal transitions such as puberty and perimenopause. Depleted levels can also be problematic.

After menopause, we convert some of our adrenal hormones into oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone to help keep us ticking along, so we need them to stay buoyant. It makes sense to try and maintain regular patterns of adrenal hormones throughout our lives.

Balancing hormones

We can do this with regular mindfulness practices, like meditation, yoga, and qi gong. Moderate levels of exercise can also be helpful, such as brisk walking, running, and dancing.

Plus there are specific nutrients and ways of eating that can keep the adrenals balanced, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium, as well as avoiding blood sugar spikes and crashes. Having regular protein and fibre, including early in the day with breakfast, and reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates, can really help blood sugar.

The same nutrients are also helpful for regulating reproductive hormones. Testosterone, for example, needs a lot of zinc and certain amino acids from protein. Oestrogen is a little more complicated: it’s metabolised in the liver and put through processes that require B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and a number of other nutrients.

These processes convert the oestrogen to different sub-types that may be stronger- or weaker-acting, according to what you need right now, or broken down completely to be got rid of. Before your body poos them out, however, some of the microbes in your gut microbiome check in to see if you actually need some recycling back into your system.

Read: How to boost the feel-good chemicals in your brain

So take care of your gut health

Look after your gut and microbiome health, with plenty of plant-based fibre and regular fermented foods. Interestingly, a well-populated gut microbiome can also help keep stress levels in check, and may even help with cognitive health.

Plus, of course, your brain needs good levels of hydration, which for most people means about two litres of water a day. Additionally, your brain cells need specific types of omega 3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA, which you can get in fish oil and vegan algae-derived supplements. There’s also a nutrient called phosphatidyl serine that can improve brain function.

Movement, and rest

I’d like to come back to exercise, because one of the most mind-blowing pieces of research I have found in recent years is this: “…resistance exercises and resistance training evoked substantial functional brain changes, especially in the frontal lobe, which were accompanied by improvements in executive functions. Furthermore, resistance training led to lower white matter atrophy and smaller white matter lesion volumes.” (Herold et al).

…one of the most mind-blowing pieces of research I have found showed “…resistance exercises and resistance training evoked substantial functional brain changes…”

This conclusion is based on just a small amount of studies, but it’s still motivated me to get some home weights and lunge on an almost daily basis.

Equally, it’s important to rest. Of course, lack of sleep is going to be feeding into any brain fog issues – who can focus on anything when sleep-deprived? There are lots of different layers of nutritional herbal support that can be so helpful here, from Montmorency cherries to valerian and Passiflora.

But for many there’s no magic sleep switch, and focussing too much on it may just be anxiety-inducing. But please make sure you get enough downtime. Carve out five minutes here, half an hour there, maybe even a whole day or weekend where you can, to just do nothing. Stare out of the window, read a novel or a magazine, relax in a warm bath. Or maybe a gentle stroll, or something artistic like sketching, painting or singing. You don’t want to stagnate, but you do want to feel rested.

Worried about brain fog?

If you’re concerned about brain fog, there are lots of tips here you can play with and see how they work for you. Of course, not everything is appropriate for everyone, so if in doubt, seek advice from a registered nutritional therapist and/or herbalist. And remember that, like puberty, this too shall pass.

FOODS TO HELP BEAT MENOPAUSAL BRAIN FOG

Foods rich in –
B Vitamins: whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, mushrooms, avocado, fish, meat, eggs, liver, green leafy vegetables
Vitamin C: green leafy vegetables (raw), fruit (raw), onions (raw)
Magnesium: green leafy vegetables, nuts
Zinc: nuts, seeds, chickpeas, chicken, lamb, beef
EPA and DHA: oily fish (salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies)
Phosphatidylserine: soy beans, egg yolks, liver

Protein-rich foods: beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, cheese, eggs, fish, meat

Fibre-rich foods: vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, herbs, spices, fruit

Fermented foods: yoghurt, kefir, well-ripened cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (“with mother”)

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post Menopause and brain fog: will I ever think straight again? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Medicinal mushrooms include oriental mushrooms such as shiitake, reishi and maitake, as well as chaga, cordyceps, coriolus and many more. Their medicinal properties are largely, but not exclusively, due to substances they contain called beta-glucans – so make sure any powdered form you are buying contains these.

Beta-glucans are known to modulate the effect of both the innate and adaptive immune systems – so both the more generalised protection they afford and their ability to target specific diseases and threats. They have also been studied for their anti-tumour abilities, which may be directly related to their effect on the immune system.

For a while it was thought by some that mushrooms were to be avoided by anyone with a candida or other fungal issue, and by anyone with cancer – but it seems, in fact, that the opposite is true. Mushrooms, whether categorized as medicinal or not, can have great benefits for fungal issues and the immune system.

Kirsten Chick by @HeardInLondon Photography

Shiitake are perhaps the best known of medicinal mushrooms, and have been readily obtainable in the UK for many years now. Fresh shiitake mushrooms are making a regular appearance in some supermarkets, and dried, whole shiitake have been reconstituted in oriental soup and stir-fry recipes for several decades.

Mushrooms … can have great benefits for fungal issues and the immune system

You can also buy shiitake powder, and other mushroom powders, either on their own or combined with other medicinal mushrooms, sometimes in capsule form to be taken like a supplement. However, I prefer to use all of these in cooking. I stir-fry whole mushrooms into stir-fries and mix the powders into soups, sauces, smoothies and even hot drinks, such as dandelion coffee and cocoa; try my immune-boosting hot chocolate recipe, below.

What types of mushrooms are most effective?

It’s not just the oriental mushrooms that have been getting attention. Mushrooms are now known to be the richest food source of a powerful pair of antioxidants: ergothioneine and glutathione. Such compounds protect your skin, heart, blood vessels, nerves and DNA, and so are important in the prevention of conditions such as Alzheimer’s, MS, heart attacks and strokes.

Porcini mushrooms (or “ceps”) have been found to be the best source. Ergothioneine and glutathione levels are maintained even when you cook them, so mushroom soup, grilled mushrooms and baked mushrooms are all excellent sources.

Ceps are also an excellent source of ergosterol, as are reishi, chaga and other medicinal mushrooms. Ergosterol has been studied for its anticancer effects in a number of different cancer cell types, including breast, ovarian, colon, laryngeal, and more.

And if that wasn’t enough to get you reaching for some mushrooms, their polysaccharide content is excellent food for the microbes in your gut that form such an integral part of your immune system.

Immune-boosting hot chocolate

The cocoa and medicinal mushrooms contain a wealth of nutrients for your immune system.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 cups plant-based milk (e.g. almond, oat, brown rice, coconut, hemp etc.)
• 4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-2 tsp reishi mushroom powder – or any medicinal mushroom powder blend
• 1-2 tsp raw (unpasteurised) honey, preferably local (optional)

Method

1. Make a paste by stirring together the honey, cocoa powder, mushroom powder and a splash of the milk – half in one mug, half in another.
2. Gently warm the rest of the milk in a small pan.
3. Pour the milk into the mugs, stir well and enjoy.

Excerpt from Kirsten Chick’s book, Nutrition Brought to Life, Alchimia Publishing, RRP £14.99

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post Magic medicinal mushrooms – for more than just Vitamin D appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Considering a juice cleanse? Or a switch to raw salads and vegan eating? Perhaps you’ve decided to cut out booze and hit the gym. Maybe all of the above. Radical changes are a shock to the system, especially in what is already a hard, cold month. Rather than looking at a fierce January detox plan, nutritionist Kirsten Chick says it’s time to be gentle on ourselves.

January in the UK is way too chilly and depressing for most people to be introducing cold raw food for a start. And winter is generally a time for being gentler on yourself, rather than making drastic changes. There are much warmer and more nourishing ways to lighten the load, recover from the party season, and start the year feeling fresh. Here’s my top tips to help cope with the seasonal hangover.

1. Take it easy

If you’re feeling ravaged by seasonal excesses, then the key here is to be kind to yourself. In fact, even if you’ve had quite a balanced December, I’d still recommend a gentle start to the year.

2. Watch out for warning signs

Your bodily detoxification and elimination processes are often more sluggish in the winter months. This means they may need a helping hand, but if you push too much, you might just overload your liver and lymph. Possible signs that you are probably putting your body under strain include:

• Energy dips and blood sugar drops – which is when your sugar, carb, and fat cravings kick in and make you irritable, and your detox unbearable
• Headaches or joint pains
• Itchy skin or rashes
• Nausea or digestive problems

3. Ease yourself in gently.

Start by gradually reducing sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, dairy, processed and refined foods – or maybe even just one or two of these.

4. Go seasonal with your foods

At the same time, nourish yourself with soups, broths, casseroles and bakes with plenty of vegetables. Increasing vegetables will provide nutrients that help you make many of your detoxification enzymes. And small amounts of good quality meat, fish or pulses. They may not be as instantly energising as a green juice, but they will provide the nutrients your need to support your detoxification processes. In addition, they will be warming, soothing and hydrating to your digestive tract, which is the core of your immune system. A happy, healthy gut means a happy, healthy you.

Looking at boosting your immune system using nutritional eating?

5. Lay back and relax

Also consider trying weekly Epsom salt baths, where you put around half a kilogram of magnesium sulphate in a warm bath and relax for about 20 minutes. Magnesium is necessary for many aspects of detoxification and elimination, including producing glutathione, your main detoxification enzyme. Sulphates are additionally required by the liver to help process toxins.

6. Go easy on the gym

Wrap up and get out in the woods or hills for a good old stomp instead. Get the lymph moving. Gently sweat out toxicity and boost your immune system.

7. So when is a good time to bring in the juices and salads?

For most people, when the weather warms up. So focus on nourishing yourself and keeping warm and hydrated for now, and gradually build up to a deeper cleanse in the spring.

Kirsten is running an online workshop on New Year nutrition.

How to gently refocus after the festive season.
Dealing with habits and cravings.
Foods to support your body’s natural cleansing processes.

For information on this lovely course click here

Kirsten has been talking nutrition for over a decade in workshops, on university and college courses, on retreats and to the hundreds of people who come for one-to-one consultations. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post Kindness is what your body needs – not a brutal January detox plan appeared first on Silver Magazine.

In recent years, scientists developed a new way of measuring vitamin D levels in the blood, and there has been a stream of studies and trials since. What has been clear is that;

a) more people are low in vitamin D than anyone realised; and…

b) vitamin D deficiency seems to be related to pretty much every disease and condition you can think of.

It’s easy to understand why vitamin D levels might be perilously low in the colder months. You make vitamin D with the help of certain UVB rays from the sun, which then covert a cholesterol-based substance in your skin to vitamin D. This you then absorb into your bloodstream and convert it to other forms in your body. But it’s not just as straightforward as getting a bit of sun.

You can get it from the sun, but it has to be the right sun

To get the right sunrays, the sun needs to be at least 50 degrees above the horizon. Lower than that and they just bounce off the ozone layer back into space. In autumn, winter and early spring, the sun is never high enough in the UK (and similar distances away from the equinox elsewhere in the world). So even on a crisp, sunny winter’s day, you won’t be making any vitamin D on your daily walk or run.

The rest of the year, varying amounts of time in the morning and afternoon are also lacking in vitamin D potential. So again, that pre-work or post-work stroll, run or sea swim won’t do it. The way to tell if the sun is high enough in the sky is to look at your shadow: if it’s shorter than you, then yes, but if it’s longer than you it’s too low.

Even then, there are factors that can get in the way, like sun block, clothing, clouds, pollution, having darker skin… which partly explains why vitamin D deficiency is a problem worldwide, not just in the colder, greyer zones.

How does vitamin D help protect against disease?

There are several mechanisms, and scientists are exploring new ones all the time. For a start, vitamin D blocks a number of inflammation pathways, so can be described as an anti-inflammatory. It also seems to prevent viruses, including Covid-19, from attaching to and entering your cells.

In addition, a form of vitamin D acts at genetic level, helping to stop disease genes from being expressed.

How much vitamin D should you be taking, and can you get it from food?

You can get vitamin D from oily fish, and a little from eggs and mushrooms. However, most health experts are currently suggesting that people supplement with vitamin D3 drops, sprays or tablets.

How much you need depends on your current levels. Your GP may offer you a blood test for this, or you can order bloodspot tests online quite cheaply. These are kits where you prick your finger and send a small sample of blood to be tested.

If the result comes back at around 50-60, this is deemed to be adequate, but not optimal. I would still suggest supplementing. If your test comes back at around 200 or more, then you’re taking too much, so stop!

To address very low levels, you may need to sake around 5000-10000iu vitamin D a day, but if your levels are pretty good, then 1000-2000iu daily should see you through winter. You may want to test periodically to make sure.

Like this article? You may like to read about how to boost your immune system

Do supplements always work?

I often recommend taking a supplement that also contains vitamin K2, as the two work together well. When you increase vitamin D, you also absorb more calcium, and vitamin K2 helps make sure that calcium goes towards strengthening your bones and teeth.

The human body is a complex thing, and sometimes adding in a missing nutrient is not the whole picture. In the case of vitamin D, for example, it will only carry out some of its functions if there are working vitamin D receptors (VDRs) in place. This is unfortunately not always the case, often for genetic reasons. So there is never a guarantee that correcting a deficiency with supplements will do the job.

There is still not enough research to know exactly what extra support needs to be in place. What has increasingly become apparent, though, is the importance of a varied and well-balanced wholefood diet, good hydration, regular exercise and regular practices that help reduce stress.

So don’t give up on good quality supplements – just make sure you’re giving your body the best chance to use them well. And with relation to Covid-19, keep an eye out for the results of a current trial to see if vitamin D supplementation actually works.

Silver Lifestyle – time to get your silver on with our retreats and products

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post Should I take vitamin D supplements? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The truth is that we are not just at the mercy of random ill fortune. Yes, chance may play a role, but there are other players in the game too. Aspects that we do actually have control over.

These are things like diet, exercise, getting sunshine, and managing stress levels. You can be gently proactive in keeping you and your loved ones out in front. Both for disease prevention, but also so that if you do get ill, you are in a stronger position to deal with it.

The wonder of your immune system

The immune system never ceases to impress me. There are so many interactive layers, checks and balances, and astoundingly clever processes. Your immune system is complex and wonderful – and powered by food. You need specific nutrients to keep it healthy and strong. The good news is that you can eat fairly simply to boost your immune system.

Below are some key foods that help you to make and regulate white blood cells and antibodies. First, however, we need to look at an equally important part of your immune system: your protective barriers.

Protective barriers – your first line of defence

These include your skin, the mucous membranes lining your airways, and digestive tract. To keep these healthy and intact you need:

1. Hydration
Water plumps up your skin, keeps it flexible and strong, and helps you make protective mucus. You breathe, wee, poo and sweat out about four litres a day, on average, and you need to get about half that back in what you drink, and the rest in your food. Soups and salads, for example, are far more hydrating than toast and sandwiches.
2. Vitamin A
Liver, eggs, shrimps and cheese are the best sources of vitamin A. You can also convert beta carotene from orange and green leafy vegetables into vitamin A, but not necessarily very efficiently. So vegans will need to eat lots of these daily.
3. Vitamin C
Fruit is a great source, but also green leafy vegetables, herbs, sauerkraut and onions, as long as they’re all raw. So a nice herby coleslaw should do the trick.

4. Vitamin D
Anti-inflammatory and protective against a number of disease, vitamin D is particularly useful for gut and skin health. Your best source: sunshine.
5. Zinc
Nuts and seeds, especially pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lamb, chicken and beef are all great sources of zinc. Soak nuts and seeds overnight in water to make the zinc more bioavailable.
6. Selenium
You just need two or three Brazil nuts to get your daily selenium fix, or some oily fish.
7. Dietary oils
Another reason to eat oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, and also nuts and seeds.
8. Fermented foods
These help keep a balanced, actively protective microbiome – the bacteria and other microbes largely in your colon, but also lining all your mucous membranes and your skin. Think sauerkraut, blue cheese, kefir, yoghurt, kim chi, and unfiltered apple cider or balsamic vinegar.

Like this article? You might like to read about how to boost your oestrogen too

White blood cells

Now, it just happens that many of these nutrients also keep your white blood cells in shape. You have lots of different types of these super cells, including Natural Killer Cells, cytotoxic T cells and more.

Natural Killer Cells are always on patrol, looking out for cells that are showing signs of cancer or viral infection and killing them. Cytotoxic T cells have a similar function, but have to be specifically activated and will only kill cells that your body has developed antibodies to.

Vitamins A, C and D help you to make healthy white blood cells and help them to carry out various functions well.

Selenium helps regulate T cells, and has been shown to stop some kinds of virus mutating to a more severe form. Zinc is crucial to the number, function and balance of nearly all your white blood cells. Clinical trials have shown zinc to reduce infection rates in both children and the elderly.

Natural killer cells additionally need vitamins B6, B12 and folate. It’s hard to get B12 on a vegan diet without supplements, but regular meat, fish and eggs will provide good levels of B12. Green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes and cauliflower are great for B6, and you can get good levels of folate from lentils, green leafy vegetables, broccoli and cauliflower.

Antibodies

The first time you are exposed to a bacteria or virus, for example, your immune system quickly learns what it looks like, and assigns it unique antibodies. These antibodies can help destroy or neutralise that specific bacteria or virus if it appears again, or activate relevant cytotoxic T cells plus a whole cascade of inflammatory substances.

To make plenty of antibodies, you need sufficient protein in your diet. Perhaps 25% of each meal you eat. If you are vegan, then have pulses (beans, lentils, peas) at least once a day, plus nuts, seeds and grains to get your full amino acid profile.

Your immune-boosting plate

To give your immune system everything it needs to do its job well and regulate its activity, you need to feed it well. Mealtimes should generally include:

– A little meat, eggs or fish if you eat them, or pulses
– A sprinkling of nuts and/or seeds
– A generous handful of green leafy veg
– A variety of other vegetables
– A little sauerkraut, yoghurt, unfiltered vinegar or something fermented

This will provide you with a broad range of immune-supportive nutrients, plus natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and heaps more besides. Remember to include soups, stews and salads in addition to drinking a good couple of litres of plain water daily (not all in one go!)

The most important thing if you’re planning to boost your immune system, however, is to keep it simple and enjoyable. If you hate cooking, then find quick and easy recipes. Batch cook so you’re not spending all your time in the kitchen. And take time to sit down and savour each mouthful. Stress is a real immunity thief, so try not to add to what’s already there. Keep calm and eat your greens!

For more advice on your health and nutrition I’m running online courses. Find out more at my Connect with Nutrition site. Comment below if you have any questions about this article.

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post Want to boost your immune system? Time to talk nutrition appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Menopause, eh? Don’t get me started… Well, actually, do – because it’s only recently that the menopause taboo has started lifting. So I’m talking about it to anyone who’ll listen.

I’m in perimenopause, which is a bit like puberty at the other end. I’m still getting periods, but the end is nigh. In the meantime, my hormones are ALL over the place. At some point, they’ll settle down, and I’ll most likely shift into menopause, where the hormones drop and the periods stop.

HOW DO HORMONES AFFECT US?

Oestrogen and progesterone are the best-known hormones involved in menstrual cycles and pregnancy. Their impact is not contained within the womb, however. They have an influence over bone density, inflammation, skin health, digestion, concentration levels, temperature, sleep, mood and mental health.

Raising oestrogen levels may stave off hot flushes, irritability, aches, pains, insomnia and bone loss; but high levels of oestrogen may also feed fibroids, endometriosis and cancer

When hormone levels change throughout each month, we can feel subtle, or sometimes powerful, ripples in all these areas. During perimenopause and menopause, as in puberty, the effects can be much wilder.

With HRT (hormone replacement therapy) linked to higher rates of cancer, and also in current short supply, many women are turning to natural approaches to soften the impact. Foods such as soya, broccoli and seaweed are gaining a reputation for boosting oestrogen – or as I prefer to describe it, balancing oestrogen.

Language is important here. Raising oestrogen levels may stave off hot flushes, irritability, aches, pains, insomnia and bone loss; but high levels of oestrogen may also feed fibroids, endometriosis and cancer.

There are 3 main types of oestrogen: E1 (estrone), E2 (estradiol) and E3 (estriol). E2 (estradiol) is the strongest type, and some scientists believe this is the one most likely to contribute to fibroids, cancer etc.

After menopause, you don’t stop making oestrogen, you just stop making so much E2, and focus more on E1 – estrone – instead. Estrone is much weaker. It’s not strong enough to trigger reproduction, but hopefully strong enough to keep you well.

THERE ARE FOODS THAT CAN BOOST OESTROGEN THOUGH, RIGHT?

Peas, beans and lentils, including soya, are similar to estrone, and so for many women these can be a useful way to boost oestrogen in a safe way. However, it’s complicated and no one understands it fully yet.

Some women and studies have found soya to be a driver for breast and womb tumours, while others show soya to be protective against cancer. So include these pulses in your diet, but in moderation. This is a time for bringing things to balance, not for bingeing on tofu and edamame beans.

In countries where meat and fat are relatively low in the diet, hot flushes and other menopause symptoms are often unheard of

Another benefit of including a variety of pulses is that it may help you reduce your meat intake. In countries where meat and fat are relatively low in the diet, hot flushes and other menopause symptoms are often unheard of. If you’re a long-time vegan and struggling through menopause, then there may be other factors at play.

As much as nobody wants to hear this, perimenopause/menopause is also a time to massively reduce sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

Yes, the three things you thought were keeping you going might just be making things worse. Not least because of their impact on your liver and your gut bacteria, both of which are heavily involved in regulating your oestrogen levels.

SO WHAT’S THE BEST THING TO DO?

To help your liver out, keep well hydrated (with water; not coffee, fizzy drinks or wine!) and include the nutrients your liver needs to do its job properly. In particular, focus on:

Cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts etc contain a substance called indole-3-carbinol, that your body then converts to DIM (diindolylmethane), which helps you regulate oestrogen.

Nuts and seeds

Good sources of minerals such as magnesium and zinc, which your liver uses to moderate hormone levels.

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, watercress, rocket, kale etc.

Help boost your magnesium levels, as well as folate and other useful nutrients

Beetroot

Provides methyl compounds that regulate oestrogen.

Sea vegetables: kombu, wakame, dulse etc.

Their iodine content helps with oestrogen regulation and thyroid health.

For a healthy gut microbiome, keep sugar and alcohol levels low, and include:

Fermented foods

Plain yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, unfermented apple cider vinegar etc. A small daily pot/shot of these will help boost your gut bacteria.

Prebiotic foods

Mushrooms, garlic, onions, pulses, bananas etc to help feed your beneficial gut microbes.

FINALLY, LET’S TALK ABOUT STRESS

Your adrenals produce your stress hormones, and also some of your oestrogen and progesterone. So manage your stress levels with lifestyle changes, meditation, and exercise – and with a healthy, balanced diet rich in leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish.

Many of these foods and nutrients are additionally anti-inflammatory, bone-strengthening, mood-balancing and immune-boosting.

Taking the time to nourish yourself will put you back in the centre of things, where you deserve to be.

Kirsten Chick

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist and lecturer, and author of Nutrition Brought to Life.

www.kirstenchick.com

The post How your diet can boost your oestrogen… but it’s a balancing act appeared first on Silver Magazine.