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Get Your Monthly Cycle To Go Down A Gear

Period pain is crippling for many women. It can involve tummy cramps, pain in the back and thighs and intensely painful spasms. These can profoundly affect mood, and have a negative effect on family life and relationships. 90% of women report having painful menstrual cramps.[1] Researchers from the British Medical Journal found that menstrual cramps cause women to lose an average of 9 days’ productivity at work every year.[2]

During periods, the womb wall contracts vigorously so the lining can be shed. This puts pressure on the blood vessels surrounding the womb, which in turn cuts off the supply of oxygen-enriched blood momentarily, setting off a chain reaction causing womb tissue to release pain-triggering chemicals. Other chemicals called prostaglandins are also released, which cause the womb muscles to contract even more, which takes the pain level higher.

It’s important to have a supply of good sanitary towels – reusable ones are excellent – as well as mood-improvers such as some Essential Oils in an Oil Burner, some lovely crisps (Eat Real‘s range is good), and some good quality Dark Chocolate (which contains plant compounds that can also help the body form more nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow). Other popular options are having a relaxing massage or a long, luxurious soak in a hot bath, with some lovely bubblebath.

There are some lesser-known ways you can reduce the effects of period pain too, though – so let’s take a look at a few of these….

Seven Surprising Ways Food Can Improve Your Skin

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It’s constantly exposed to the oxidising effects of the air around us, the sun’s ultraviolet rays, growing amounts of pollution in the atmosphere and a whole host of chemicals from household cleaners, soap and other products. Add increasing levels of allergies to the mix, and there are many reasons dry skin can occur.

We all know it’s important to ensure our skin has enough moisture, and a good moisturiser can help with this, as long as we ensure they don’t contain ingredients that may actually be counter-productive, such as alcohol and artificial fragrances, which can be drying and dehydrating to the skin in the long run.

Many people know of topical treatments and supplements for dry skin, which include Aloe Vera, Hyaluronic Acid, Evening Primrose Oil and Coconut Oil, but instead of treating sensitive skin with lotions and supplements, why not fix it from the inside out with diet? Glowing, healthy skin always feels better combined with some tasty food! So let’s look at seven ways you can improve your skin through what you eat….

How To Feast Heartily Without Your Diabetes Knowing

Diabetes is a real and growing problem. The charity Diabetes UK predicts that by the year 2030 there will be 5.5 million diabetics in the UK.[1] The NHS calculates that treating diabetes in the period 2018/19 cost £1.07 billion.[2] This is only set to grow as diabetes rates explode – figures show that there are now more than twice the number of people living with a diagnosis of the condition in the UK than there were in 1998.[3]

Added to this, we are an extremely sedentary nation, even more so with the rise of streaming TV, coupled with phone technology which mean we can be informed, entertained and fed without really having to move from the sofa. Sitting for long periods is thought to slow the metabolism, which affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat.[4]

You may have heard of Dr Michael Mosley, a medical doctor and BBC broadcaster who created an 8-week ‘blood sugar diet’ which purports to combat high blood sugar levels and in some cases reverse type 2 diabetes.[5] This does work – but it’s a very hard slog getting through it! So let’s look at some other changes you can make to reduce the damage to your body caused by diabetes, and ensure you can fill up on delicious food at the same time….

Max Your Body’s Power With Protein

We’ve all heard that Protein is an essential part of our diet and that we should always ensure we get enough of it, but what is protein? How much protein should we be eating? And what does protein do for us exactly?

Proteins (often called ‘the building blocks of life’) are large molecules with complex structures made up of amino acids, and are found in many foods. When eaten, they play a pivotal role in our biological processes. They are essential for building and repairing bodily tissues, regulating the functions of our organs, protecting us from viruses and bacteria, transporting molecules around the body and helping babies and youngsters grow.

The NHS advises adults to eat 55.5g of protein daily for men and 45g for women, although we should avoid eating more than twice this amount. So what are the best ways to get protein? Let’s take a closer look….

Spinach: Strong To The Finish!

Spinach is, quite simply, one of the very healthiest foods you can put into your body. This amazing plant is perhaps the most nutritionally dense food in common use in the UK, and can provide a massive boost to the health and wellbeing of you and your family.

Many people grew up watching Popeye cartoons on TV, and remember him gaining colossal strength after eating tinned spinach, and although the effects of this leafy green aren’t usually so immediate, there is truth in the idea that spinach goes a long way towards making your body fit, lean and ready for action.

So let’s take a closer look at the health benefits of Spinach, and why you should be eating more of this wondrous plant….

Get Me To The Fenugreek!

You may have heard various claims about the many health benefits of Fenugreek, but what’s the truth behind the hype? What is Fenugreek, and can it really boost our health as well as making our food tasty?

Fenugreek (often called Methi) is a plant commonly associated with India, but now also grown in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, China and Canada. The seeds are usually roasted in a pan before being ground – this lessens their natural bitterness and gives them a more rounded, mellow, nuanced flavour. They’re commonly used in a variety of curry dishes, mainly for flavour but also sometimes as a thickening agent; the leaves are also eaten in salads, and the seeds can be sprouted to produce lip-smackingly tasty and wonderfully nutritious microgreens.

We all love a good curry, and it’s good to know that one of the ingredients could be doing good things for us – so let’s take a closer look at how Fenugreek can improve our health and wellbeing….

Acai: A Little Berry With Big Powers

You may have heard of the Acai berry – most of us have probably received spam emails promising weight loss miracles with Acai pills, and while there’s no magic bullet for weight loss, Acai has risen to prominence in the top rank of superfoods. But what is Acai?

Acai (pronounced a-sigh-ee) is the name of a palm tree which grows in South America and the Caribbean. It gives its name to the small black berries which grow on it. These are a staple food in the Amazon River delta, along with the hearts of palm which come from the same tree. In recent years, ‘acai bowls’ have become popular in health food circles – these usually contain a whole host of healthy wholefoods such as nuts and fruit along with a good helping of acai berry powder or pulp.

So what’s the truth about the health benefits of Acai? Let’s have a detailed look….

Simply Chlorella

Chlorella’s fantastic nutritional profile means it’s classed as a superfood. Over half its weight is made up of protein, and not only that – it’s a complate protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids necessary for life. But what is Chlorella, and why should we be using it?

Chlorella is a single-celled green algae that thrives in freshwater lakes. It converts sunlight into energy through a process of photosynthesis, and contains the super-healthy green pigment chlorophyll as a result. It also contains some very potent antioxidant compounds, and it’s a great source of iron, and a very decent source of Vitamin C and a range of B-vitamins. There’s also a good amount of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and potassium.

Taste-wise, Chlorella has been likened to Kale and Spinach, and many people take it in capsule form although it’s also popular whizzed up in smoothies. But what are the health benefits of Chlorella? Let’s take a look….

What’s The Big Deal With Fermented Foods?

Fermentation happens when a substance is broken down by enzymes in bacteria or yeast. Doesn’t sound very tasty, does it? And yet it produces some of the world’s most popular food products. People consume more fermented products than they probably realise – bread, cheese, chocolate, yoghurt, pickles, wine, beer and cider, for instance, have all gone through a process of fermentation.

Many claims have been made that some fermented products can offer a massive boost to our health, and science is constantly uncovering new information about the relationship between consuming these and our levels of immunity, gut health and even happiness.

There’s been an explosion in recent years in the availability of several types of fermented foods on supermarket shelves – these include Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Kefir, Tempeh, Miso and Kombucha. So what’s the big deal with this stuff? Does it really improve your health? And can it really make you happier? Let’s take a closer look….

Here’s Why Everyone Should Eat More Garlic

Garlic has been in use in kitchens across the world for thousands of years, and in many cultures it’s also been used as a traditional medicine for a variety of ailments – but it’s only recently that we’re uncovering the science which details just how fantastic this plant is for human health.

Garlic is part of the Allium family, which also includes vegetables like Onions and Leeks, as well as herbs such as Chives. Garlic’s pungent taste and aroma is due in part to the presence of Organosulfur compounds, and these are powerful enough that just handling chopped garlic means you’ll be able to taste garlic on your breath in a few minutes, even without eating any! It’s when you actually eat the stuff, though, that the real magic happens…

So let’s take a look at the myriad health benefits of garlic and why everyone should be eating more of this fantastic plant….