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I have never been a coffee-drinker, though I like the smell of freshly grounded coffee. I have always preferred the flavour of teas and when I came across matcha tea (in Japanese 'ground tea') a few years ago, I really enjoyed it. Matcha tea is not your typical green tea- it has been used in Japan and China in tea ceremonies for many centuries and is also known for its cancer-fighting, fat-burning capabilities and as great enhancer of your body's detoxification systems. How is matcha tea grown? Matcha tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen tea plant of the Theaceae plant family. All tea (except Rooibos and Honeybush (from South Africa) comes from this Camellia sinensis plant, but the different variations in colour and taste are the result of how it's being processed. The plants that are used to make matcha tea are kept in the shade for two weeks to increase the levels of chlorophyll before the leaves get picked. After harvesting, the tea leaves are steamed, dried and then ground into a fine powder. Unlike other types of teas, matcha contains the entire tea leaves, therefore providing a more concentrated source of nutrients. Matcha has also a strong and distinct flavour. Matcha’s strength is in its polyphenol compounds called catechins, a type of antioxidant which is also found in other superfoods like cocoa beans and other green tea. Catechins are thought to be even more powerful than both vitamins C and E in stopping oxidative damage to the cells. What makes matcha tea so beneficial for your health? The health benefits of matcha tea arrive for those who drink it regularly. Potential benefits range from increased weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, improved heart health and more. Helps with weight loss- studies have shown that matcha tea can help to improve metabolism and boost fat-burning to help enhance long-term weight loss. Reduces risk of heart disease and hypertension- because of its high levels of antioxidants and catechins, some research show that green tea may help reduce the risk of heart problems. Green tea consumption could help to lower your cholesterol levels and also reduce blood pressure to protect against heart disease. May help prevent cancer- studies have shown that matcha tea (and other green tea) consumption could potentially reduce the risk of cancer. Helps with exercise- matcha tea enhances endurance and can help to speed up muscle recovery in those athletes who focus on high-intensity workouts, like burst training. It also reverses cellular damage caused by oxidative stress (from too much exercise) and therefore preventing damage to the muscles and tissues. Relaxed alertness- thanks to the powerful combination of high levels of l-theanine (an amino acid found naturally in teas from the Camellia sinensis plant) and caffeine. Due to the conditions in which it is grown, it’s estimated that matcha green tea may contain up to five times as much L-theanine than a regular green tea. By drinking matcha tea, you can increase levels of l-theanine and promote alpha waves, which lead to a state of relaxation but still allowing you to be alert. L-theanine also helps to increase levels of dopamine and GABA in the brain, which could benefit conditions like anxiety. Detoxifies the body- matcha’s rich green colour indicates that it's high in chlorophyll. As you know from biology lesson chlorophyll is a type of plant pigment responsible for the absorption of light in the process of photosynthesis, which creates energy. In addition to giving matcha its strong green colour, chlorophyll also helps in body detoxification promoting the elimination of unwanted toxins, chemicals and heavy metals. What should you look out for when purchasing matcha tea? Always check the ingredients label on the package and make sure it only contains matcha Although you may find matcha in tea bag form as well, keep in mind that then you won’t be consuming the whole leaf, so you lose out on benefits If possible opt for organic and non-GMO varieties Ceremonial-grade matcha is the best for making properly whisked tea while culinary-grade can be used to make tea, lattes, baked goods and also used in smoothies and ice cream Low price tag can often be a sign of a poor-quality product- so don't be cheap here. How to prepare your cup of matcha tea? Matcha tea is traditionally made in a very unique and specific fashion. Directions can vary, but here is one easy method for how to prepare matcha tea properly: Fill a kettle with fresh, filtered water and heat it to boiling point Fill a matcha bowl or a cup with hot water and then pour down the sink (this is to warm the bowl/cup) Add 1 teaspoon of matcha powder to bowl or cup Add 60ml (2 ounces) of nearly boiled water Whisk (ideally with a bamboo brush which you can purchase often together with matcha tea) the powder and water briskly for a minute or two until it looks thick and frothy. Add 90 to 120ml (3 to 4 ounces) of water to the frothed tea and enjoy. Side effects of matcha tea Bear in mind that matcha green tea is higher in caffeine than other green teas due to the fact that it contains the entire leaf of the tea plant. However, it is still much lower in caffeine than coffee, with around 70 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Matcha green tea may not be the best choice if your body is sensitive to caffeine. It’s best to keep intake of the tea in moderation, consume it before 12am and definitely avoid around bedtime. Drinking green tea on an empty stomach can lead to stomach pain and nausea. Therefore it’s best to drink it after a meal, especially if you have any issues with acid reflux. If you have iron-deficiency, it’s important to know that green tea consumption can cause a decrease in the absorption of iron from the food you eat. Because of its caffeine content, it’s also not recommended for children or for those women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Finally, green tea can interact with some medications, so check with your health doctor before consuming matcha if you do take medications or have any ongoing health concerns.

Below I would like to give an overview what I have learnt from various books and some dietary changes that you can consider if you are suffering from chronic inflammation. In 2016 when I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and as a result developed joint pains in my hips and knees I really wanted to understand what causes inflammation in the body and what I can do to help to reduce the inflammation. I gave up gluten in January 2017 and after couple of weeks the pain in my joints faded. To further help my body, I also gave up sugar in February 2017, and in 2019 to make sure I support the fast recovery from my brain surgery, I also reduced milk products, consuming fermented milk products like kefir, goat's milk yoghurt, goat's and sheep cheese. Making these changes in my diet truly helped me in my recovery. I also used to get sick on a yearly basis during December and in spring catching colds and last year even Influenza A, but my immune system has clearly benefitted from those dietary changes as the seasonal colds have become less rare after spring 2019. What is inflammation? It's part of your body's built-in immune response- it's body's natural defence against viruses, bacteria, damaged cells when injured etc. Inflammation, when acute, aims to remove foreign and harmful invaders and to heal the body. Without inflammation your wounds would become septic and infections could become deadly. Acute inflammation typically occurs as a result of an injury to the external body or skin. On the skin the signs and symptoms of an acute inflammation are pain, swelling, redness, heat, immobility. Acute inflammation can be a result of some of the below conditions, illnesses or situations: skin cut physical trauma to the body sore throat because of cold or flu dermatitis sinusitis infected ingrown nail While acute inflammation generally disappears in a few days, then chronic inflammation can last for months or years. Some signs and symptoms of chronic inflammation include joint pain, rash on the skin, fatigue, mouth sores etc. And some of the chronic inflammatory diseases include: rheumatoid arthritis asthma active hepatitis heart disease systemic lupus erythematosus Crohn's disease Multiple sclerosis In this article I also cover how inflammation affects your different body parts. What triggers chronic inflammation in the body? There can be several causes for chronic inflammation- food allergies, poor diet, stress, an inactive lifestyle, your gut health, excess weight, bad habits such as smoking, drinking etc. Foods that cause inflammation in the body There are some foods or food ingredients that are pro- inflammatory for the body. Sugar and artificial sweeteners Sugar is known to feed bad bacteria in the gut. And not only sugar, but also artificial sweeteners can really have a negative effect on the body. Your body does not know what to do with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. It sees sweeteners as foreign invaders and attacks them, which then causes an inflammatory response in the body. Gluten People with a gluten sensitivity may find that they have increased inflammation levels when they consume foods with gluten. People who have celiac disease, should definitely avoid gluten. Lactose and casein Some people who are struggling with arthritis can find improvements in their symptoms when avoiding foods with lactose and casein. If you can tolerate dairy, it's advisable to consume raw cultured dairy products. Trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils Trans fats are found in fast foods, processed snack foods, cookies, donuts. If you want to lower inflammation level in the body, you should try and avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil. MSG It's found in fast foods, soy sauce, salad dressings, prepared soups, deli meats. It not only causes inflammation in the body, but also affects negatively your liver. Refined carbohydrates and white flour products Cereals, breads, rolls, and crackers very often consist mainly of refined carbohydrates which are lacking in important nutrients and are also high-glycemic index foods, can trigger inflammation in the body. Alcohol Alcohol has a high burden on your liver and therefore can affect many parts of your body. To reduce your inflammation, consume it really in moderation or give up completely. How can you test for inflammation in the body? You can have simple blood-tests done to measure inflammation level in your body- by measuring C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine. CRP should be below 0.5 mg/L. Homocysteine is an inflammatory amino acid linked to heart disease and dementia- it's commonly elevated in people with autoimmune problems. An optimal range is below 7Umol/L. There are also other tests that you can run, like checking your ferritin levels (optimal ranges for men 33-236 ng/mL, for premenopausal women 10-122 ng/mL); checking your white blood cell count; checking your gut health; checking you methylation. Dr. Will Cole has an online inflammation spectrum quiz as well, that can help you to determine where you are at with your body on an inflammation spectrum. Click here to take the quiz. What are the best natural remedies for inflammation? First and foremost it is important to avoid the above pro-inflammatory foods in your diet. But it's also important to consume lots of anti-inflammatory foods as they also help to reduce the damage caused by inflammation. Below is a basic list of foods and beverages to consume on a regular basis: Vegetables and fruits in as many colours as possible- variety is key here. Healthy fats (extra virgin olive oil, avocados, flaxseeds, hemp seeds) Protein (organic where possible- chicken, beef, eggs). Read my post about foods highest in protein . Beans and Legumes- black beans, adzuki beans, lentils, chickpeas Herbs and Spices- such as turmeric, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, basil, garlic, ginger Tea- an excellent anti-inflammatory beverage (green, oolong, white tea, matcha tea) Water Quercetin is a natural pigment present in many vegetables and fruits such as blueberries, kale, apples, red onion and also in green tea. It's known to modulate inflammation and inhibit inflammatory enzymes. Resveratrol from grapes Some of the supplements to add to your diet when fighting inflammation, reduce swelling in the body are turmeric, omega-3 fatty acids, bromelain (naturally found in pineapple), willow bark. Other important things things you can do on a regular basis to reduce inflammation in the body are exercise, meditation and of course lowering stress levels and getting adequate amount of sleep every night. If you are looking for nutritional guidance how to support your body with healing from chronic inflammation, don't hesitate to reach out to me at info@katrinpeo.com

More and more people are suffering from allergies, whether they are seasonal or food allergies. This is quite a big topic, but I will try and summarise what I have learnt and what can you do today if you are suffering from any of these. What is an allergy and what are the symptoms? An allergy is your body's immune reaction where IgE antibodies get produced against a food or some substance in the environment, like pollen in the air. This triggers your body to release histamine from two immune cells, mast cells and basophils. This causes symptoms like: rashes hives itchy skin swelling (lips, eyes, ears, nasal tissues, face, tongue, throat) a burning or flushing sensation on the skin bloating and/or stomach pain diarrhoea sneezing ear pain coughing shortness of breath red, itchy, watery eyes runny nose or sinus congestion irritability fatigue In simple terms, allergies are disorders of the immune system, where your body over-reacts to harmless substances and produces antibodies to attack the substance. The reaction of allergy can be very dramatic (like anaphylaxis, where a person has difficulties breathing and the body can go into a complete shock) or they can be milder seasonal allergies. Nonetheless, people who suffer from any allergies, they know that it takes a toll on the body. What are common food allergies? Most common food allergies include wheat, dairy, peanut, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish and soybeans. Some of the other common allergies include allergies to: Citrus fruits Garlic Kiwi Yeast (fermented foods, wine, vinegar, cider, dried fruits, processed meat and fish, canned foods) Beef Some fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains are believed to promote common allergies, like allergies to latex, ragweed, birch, mugwort, grass, alder- as they carry similar proteins: Latex-allergy foods (apples, bananas, avocados, carrots, kiwi, celery, melons, papaya, strawberries, pineapple etc) Ragweed-pollen-allergy foods (bananas, melons, watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew, cucumber, chamomile tea, pepper, squash, artichoke, zucchini, sunflower seeds) Birch-pollen-allergy foods (cherries, plums, peaches, pears, nectarines, apricots, bananas, figs, mango, avocado, strawberries, carrots, celery, parsley, till, tomato, cumin, pepper (green), cilantro, potato, fennel, hazelnuts, almond, walnut, peanut, wheat, soy, lentils, peas, beans) Mugwort-pollen allergy foods (carrots, celery, apples, kiwi, parsley, mango) Grass allergy foods (figs, kiwi, orange, melon, watermelon, potato, tomato, peanut) Alder allergy foods (strawberries, peaches, pears, cherries, apples, raspberries, parsley, celery, almond, walnut, hazelnut) How can you test for food allergy? You can have either blood test or skin test done to determine the allergic reactions. Most commonly known test, RAST, measures the presence of IgE antibodies in your blood against up to 160 different foods. Skin tests are considered more accurate, where small amounts of allergens are placed on the skin of your arms or back in a grid pattern after what skin is pricked with where allergens were placed. After some time skin is evaluated for different reactions like redness, hives, puffiness. If you have been diagnosed with food allergy to some food(s), you should avoid those foods completely from your diet. There are also food intolerances and food sensitivities but this I will cover in another post. What are seasonal allergies? Blooming trees in spring, grasses and weeds in summer all release pollen, which cause seasonal allergies in many people. And those seasonal allergies run from spring, through summer and to early autumn. Most common plants causing seasonal allergies in Europe include ragweed and mugwort. Certain foods can make your seasonal allergies worse and yearly pollen count increase due to climate change is not helping here either. Also if you have underlying medical conditions, like asthma, high-level of stress, these can put you at heightened risk for having seasonal allergies. A strong immune system is very important to fighting seasonal allergies. Is it possible for your allergies to diminish or even completely disappear over time? In children with food allergies, around 20% outgrow peanut allergy by age 8, 75% outgrow dairy allergy by age 3 , and 50% outgrow egg allergy by age 5. However if you develop allergies in your adulthood, the likelihood that they go away are lower, though there are no known studies done to prove this. With seasonal allergies, it could be that if you are suffering from allergy today but move to a different location with different type of flora, your allergy might go away. Learning from my closest family and friends experiences, in adults, with seasonal allergies, they don't really disappear. But you can do many things to keep your immune system strong and stress levels under control, so your reactions are not so severe. What is histamine sensitivity? Histamine sensitivity results when there is more histamine in your body than your body can handle. Histamine is a normal part of the diet in small amounts and a normal product of the bacteria in your gut. If you are healthy, histamine gets rapidly detoxified by your gut enzymes. But if you have histamine sensitivity, the production of histamine is either too high or the activity of the detoxifying enzymes in your gut too low. Histamine sensitivity can also be triggered if you have a thyroid condition or if you are taking thyroid hormone replacement drugs. There are also drugs that inhibit the activity of the main detoxifying enzyme, such as antibiotics, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, H2 blockers. Alcohol, especially red wine and beer contain a lot of histamine. Symptoms of histamine sensitivity are very similar those of allergies and the response is felt fairly quickly after consuming histamine-high foods. Here are just some of the foods that contain significant amounts of histamine: chocolate and cocoa, coffee, fermented dairy products, fermented cured meats, fish, alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, sherry, champagne), tomatoes, sauerkraut, kombucha, pork, fruits (avocados, bananas, grapes, oranges, pineapples, strawberries). How can you treat seasonal allergies naturally? It's important to note that over the counter pharmaceutical medications (anti-histamines, eye drops, skin creams) don't cure allergies- they only treat the symptoms and unfortunately cause many side-effects. What is important for you to understand is that when your immune system produces an allergic reaction to something, it’s because it senses that something is not right within your body. Instead of only addressing the symptoms of allergies, you need to uncover and understand the root cause for your allergy and build your own natural defence system. Your body needs to learn again to adapt to allergens. You can prepare yourself for the allergy season, by avoiding the below foods before and during the allergy season: Caffeine Alcohol Peanuts Sugar Deep dried foods Processed foods Wheat Soy Chocolate Conventional Dairy Artificial sweeteners Echinacea Shellfish Dried Fruits If you feel that you did much better with your seasonal allergy if you avoided the above foods, then why not extending it beyond the allergy season and see how you will be doing the next spring. People who know that they have ragweed allergy, should also avoid: Bananas Melons Sunflower Seeds Cucumbers Chamomile It's important to eat an anti-inflammatory, alkaline diet. What foods can help you during seasonal allergies (unless you are of course allergic to any of the below foods or you have histamine sensitivity): Raw local honey (it relieves symptoms because it contains local pollen that is causing your allergies) Bone broth- rich in minerals and amino acids helping with healing the gut lining Probiotic rich foods- to help to repair your gut lining Hot and spicy foods (ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, wasabi) Pineapple (because of enzyme bromelaine and vitamin B and C) Apple cider vinegar Fresh green organic leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, romaine, rucola etc) Grass-fed meats Wild-caught fish Garlic (a natural antibiotic that helps ward off viruses, infections, and allergies) Lemons and limes (for their detoxifying capabilities and vitamin C) Good hydration with clean water Green tea Supplements that help with seasonal allergies: Quercetin (stops the production and release of histamine). Great to start taking it before the allergy season starts. Foods such as broccoli and cauliflower, onions, green tea and citrus fruits also contain quercetin Spirulina (stops the release of histamine) Bromelain (helps to reduce swelling in your nose and sinuses) Zinc (helps to heal adrenal fatigue caused by high levels of stress, as stress worsens the symptoms of allergies) Stinging nettle (has both antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties Vitamin A (has antihistamine properties, boosts immune system and fights inflammation) Vitamin C (strengthens immune system) Vitamin D (to improve immune coordination in the body) Probiotics (for gut microbiome and immune function) A good tool to use during seasonal allergies is also a neti pot as it helps to clear your sinuses and to help to treat any upper respiratory conditions, including chronic and acute sinusitis, and also common cold. Make sure you use distilled water and not water from your tap in the neti pot. What essential oils work with seasonal allergies? There are two essential oils that are worth to try and incorporate in your daily life during seasonal allergies and these are eucalyptus and frankincense essential oils as they reduce inflammation and improve detoxification of bad bacteria, toxins and microorganism that can trigger allergy attack. You can diffuse them (one at a time), or mix them (one at a time) with a carrier oil and rub on your chest and behind your ears. There is definitely more to cover with this topic, but hopefully you find some help and guidance from above. If you ware looking to get support and guidance on how to improve your diet in order to lower inflammation in your body, to reduce seasonal allergy symptoms or allergic reactions to foods, don't hesitate to reach out to me for health and nutrition coaching via e-mail at info@katrinpeo.com.

I must confess, I am nuts about nuts and need to really hold myself back and not over-consume them. Sprouting nuts and seeds before eating is nothing new, it has been done in Europe and East Asia for thousands of years. Different forms of soaking, sprouting and also fermenting seeds has been done by almost every culture around the world. Nuts and seeds are very healthy and nutritious but only if your body absorbs those nutrients. We humans are not designed to break down anti-nutrients (phytic acid, lectins, tannins, polyphenols) from plant compounds that lock up or deplete minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. Phytic acid is present in nuts, seeds as well as in beans and grains- especially in the bran or the outer hull portion. Seeds and bran are the highest for phytates. Raw, unfermented cocoa beans and cocoa powder are also high in phytates. Research shows that you absorb around 60% more magnesium and 20% more zinc from your food when phytate is absent. In other words, if you remove phytates, you help increase vitamin and mineral absorption in your body. In a phytate rich diet, your body can suffer from the lack of calcium and phosphorus with poor bone growth, rickets, narrow jaws and tooth decay. You may also develop anemia and decreased mental functioning due to the lack of iron. It has also been shown that high amounts of phytic acid consumption decreases vitamin D stores. Phytase is the enzyme that neutralises phytic acid and liberates the phosphorus. This enzyme co-exists in plant foods that contain phytic acid. Unfortunately, most of us do not produce enough phytase to safely consume large quantities of high phytate foods on a regular basis. However, the probiotic lactobacilli, and other bacterial species of digestive microflora in your gut are able to produce phytase. People with healthy intestinal flora have an easier time digesting foods with phytic acid than those with unhealthy or unbalanced microflora. Another good reason why gut health is so important for your overall health. Soaking and sprouting seeds and nuts can significantly help to break down those anti-nutrients, making them more digestible and absorbable and so you get the nutrients from them such as protein, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, iron, B12. Nuts also have high amounts of enzyme inhibitors, which are useful to seeds and nuts because they prevent them from sprouting prematurely, but they can be very hard on your digestion. Soaking nuts will help neutralise these enzyme inhibitors, encourage the production of beneficial enzymes which also make nuts much easier to digest. Sprouting also activates phytase, therefore reducing phytic acid even more. Soaking Soaking is the process of putting nuts and seeds (or legumes) in warm water for a period of time. You must first soak before you can sprout. With all my nuts I buy them raw and in bulk (best if organic). I take big glass bowls for different nuts and soak them in warm water (where I also add a pinch of sea salt). Adding sea salt helps to neutralise the enzymes. After the soaking, I discard the water I soaked the nuts and seeds in and wash them once more, as that water contains anti-nutrients. I use the below guidelines in terms of time how long I soak the nuts. Macadamias- 2 hours Cashews- 2-4 hours Brazil nuts- 3 hours Walnuts- 4 hours Almonds- 8 hours Pecans- 6 hours Hazelnuts- 8 hours Pistachios (raw not salted)- 8 hours Pine nuts- 7 hours Pumpkin seeds- 7+ hours Sunflower seeds- 7 hours After soaking the nuts, I dry them with kitchen towel or kitchen paper and put in the oven to dry at max 65C (150F) for 6-8 hours. You can also use a dehydrator if you have one. Check if they are totally dry and crunchy. Beware that if nuts are not completely dry, they can develop mould. After they have cooled down, I put them in the freezer and take out a handful when needed. Sprouting Sprouting is used after soaking and it further enhances the digestibility of nuts, seeds and legumes. Sprouting makes them also more nutrient-dense. It's a matter of preference, but I prefer not to sprout my nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds (only soak and dehydrate them). Sprouts can be subject to contamination which can result in bacterial growth such as E. coli, leading to food-borne illnesses. You should always properly prepare the sprouts, properly store then and consume sprouts within a few days, fresh and straight out from your fridge. I do however sprout other seeds, such as broccoli and radish.

As we know our skin is the largest organ in our body and it is the first defence between you and the outside world. It is also a mirror of what's happening inside your body- your skin reflects the condition of your gut and many skin issues are relates to your gut. Same as in our gut, there are trillions of bugs living on our skin- it's called your skin flora or your skin microbiome. The microbiome on your skin changes depending whether the are on your skin is oily, moist, dry or hairy. It also differs from women to men and whether you are young or old. A healthy skin microbiome protects us against infections very much the same way a good gut microbiome does, by crowding out the overgrowth of pathogenic organisms. And since your skin microbiome likes more acidic environment (skin PH is around 5.0), this also inhibits the growth of pathogens. Your skin microbiome also helps with wound healing, minimising oxidative damage and exposure to allergens. What happens if your skin microbiome is compromised? Same way as the antibiotics and other medications can damage your gut microbiome, which can result in auto-immune diseases and allergies, so does the excess use of antimicrobial hand sanitisers and soaps can interrupt your skin microbiome. An imbalanced skin microbiome can result in different skin conditions, such as contact dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, allergies, dandruff, rosacea. Your skin is affected from both sides, what you put into your body (your diet) and what you put onto your body (cosmetics). Most soaps have a PH level more than 6 (some anti-bacterial soaps have it as high as 10,11), which is not what your skin likes, as healthy skin microbiome cannot thrive in alkaline environment. So it's very important to really look what you put onto your skin. How can you support your microbiome? From my own personal experience I can say that the below areas play key role in good skin health and you can't really ignore any of them: 1. Healthy Eating and Proper Hydration I stopped eating gluten containing foods in January 2017 due to severe joint pains I developed after being diagnosed with Lyme disease. In February 2017 I also stopped eating sugar as I wanted to remove inflammatory foods from my diet. Today I am consuming very little milk products- just goat cheese, butter and parmesan cheese now and again. These dietary changes have made a very big difference in the purity and softness of my skin. Not that I had skin problems before, but I haven't had any issues with skin since. Gluten and dairy are both associated with exacerbating skin issues such as eczema and acne. From skin-care products I use essential oils mixed with either jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil to moisture the skin in the evening and in the morning. During the winter months I use thicker organic facial cream and mix essential oils in there to give more moisture and protection for the skin. In terms of make-up, I have used very little of it for the last 2 years- just a mascara and lip-gloss from mineral cosmetics. It's very well known that de-hydration will age you, so it's important to make sure you drink enough water during the day. I start my day either with water and apple-cider vinegar and a pinch of Himalayan salt or with lemon and a pinch of Himalayan salt. I make sure I drink water throughout the day, but also drink matcha tea and herbal teas. I also consume collagen powder and broth on a regular basis and make gelatine gummies on a weekly basis. If you know your gut could be compromised, I also recommend to include prebiotic and probiotic foods in your daily diet to improve the gut microbiome. 2. Exercise Make sure you work up a sweat couple of times a week to increase the blood flow to your skin. If you consume healthy foods, your sweat you produce during exercise is a great prebiotic for your skin microbiome. Another great way to get sweat going is to go to sauna once or twice a week. 3. Sleep and manage your stress levels Make sure you get a good-quality 7-8 hours of sleep every night and that you keep your stress levels low as stress increases inflammation in the body 4. Switch to natural skincare Majority of commercially produced skincare products are packed with fragrances, artificial colours, preservatives and stabilisers, that can easily absorbed through your skin's pores into your body and bloodstream. Look for skin care products that have unprocessed ingredients and without any harsh chemicals and artificial add-ons as these not only affect your skin, but also disrupt your hormonal imbalance. Here are just some natural skin care products to use: Extra Virgin Coconut oil Tea Tree Essential Oil (with a carrier oil) Jojoba Oil Lemon Essential Oil (with a carrier oil) Apple Cider Vinegar as a tonic Avocado Raw Honey Sea Salt Shea Butter

I wrote in my previous blog about things you can do to boost your immunity. In this blog post I focus on vitamins and minerals that are especially important for supporting your immune system. Make sure that you cover these in your daily menu. Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) It works to improve everything from your skin health to immune function. Vitamin C protects the health of your heart, repairs and restores tissues in your body, reduces risk for gout, helps to boost the absorption of other nutrients (such as iron) in the body. Present in: Black Currants Red Peppers Kiwis Guavas Green Bell Peppers Oranges Strawberries Papayas Broccoli Kale Parsley Pineapple Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Mango Lemon Grapefruit Honeydew melon Peas Tomatoes Keep in mind: It’s best to consume foods high in vitamin C raw whenever possible. Cooking methods like boiling, simmering, sautéing, stir-frying and poaching can result in significant nutrient losses in foods containing vitamin C. Zinc Zinc is a trace mineral that is essential for many enzymatic reactions in your body. It's important for cell division and acts as an antioxidant. It fights free radical damage, slows down the ageing process, boosts eye health, promotes muscle repair and growth, helps with healing wounds, enhances your immune function and balances hormones. Consume 2-3 servings of zinc containing foods per day. Make sure you soak the nuts, seeds and legumes and cook well before consuming them due to phytates, as these inhibit zinc absorption. Present in: Lamb Pumpkin Seeds Hemp Seeds Grass-Fed Beef Chickpeas Lentils Cocoa Powder Cashew nuts Kefir or Yoghurt Ricotta Cheese Mushrooms Spinach Avocado Chicken Almonds Iron Iron is a trace mineral present in every living cell in your body. It's a main component in hemoglobin (part of red blood cell carrying oxygen to the tissues and myoglobin (part of muscle cells holding the oxygen). Iron is important for red blood cell production to prevent anemia, energy levels, for good brain function as it carries oxygen to your brain and also for development in children. Iron is also important for properly digesting and absorbing other important nutrients from the food you eat, and it helps to bring adequate amount of oxygen to damaged areas of your body, which include cells, organs and tissues. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies present in people. It's important to consume iron-reach foods on a regular basis. Daily recommendation for iron consumption varies based on age, where pregnant and breastfeeding women need the most. Present in: Spirulina (8mg for 28g), which is half from the daily recommendation Chicken liver and beef liver Grass-fed beef Instant oatmeal Oysters Octopus Mussels Dark chocolate Sardines White beans Black beans Lentils Kidney beans Spinach Sesame seeds Some foods help to increase the absorption of iron, when consumed together with iron-reach food. These are: citrus fruits, apricots, beets, beet greens, collard greens, red grapes, oranges, peaches, prunes, red peppers, sweet potatoes. Vitamin E Vitamin E has strong antioxidant properties as well as it protects your cells against damage. It helps to prevent chronic diseases, reduces blood clotting, is important for healthy skin, hair growth and healthy vision. Vitamin E is abundant in the foods, so deficiency is rare, but none-the-less it's important that you focus on consuming foods rich in Vitamin E. Present in: Sunflower Seeds Almonds Hazelnuts Cooked Spinach Avocado Cooked Turnip Greens Cooked Butternut Squash Pine nuts Olive oil Mango Cooked Sweet Potato Cooked Tomatoes Salmon Butternut Squash Selenium Selenium is a trace mineral, which means we need to get enough of it from our daily diet. Selenium has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects- it's required for the creation of glutathione, which is considered to be your body's master antioxidants. Selenium rich foods help with live function and detoxification as well as thyroid and hormonal health. Present in: Brazil nuts- it's said it's enough to consume 2 brazil nuts a day to get the recommended daily amount. Please remember to soak them before consuming. Salmon Tuna (limit the consumption due to high mercury levels) Turkey Chicken Mushrooms Halibut Eggs Sardines Sunflower Seeds Grass-fed Beef Oats Beef Liver Vitamin D3 It's important to supplement with vitamin D3 as most of us are deficient in vitamin D. Deficiency of this vitamin can increase the risk of infection. Vitamin D help to transport calcium from your intestines as it digests into the bloodstream. When supplementing with D3, it's recommended to use it together with vitamin K2. Vitamin K helps to take then the calcium from the bloodstream and deposit into bones and teeth. So these two vitamins work hand-in-hand. Vitamin A Vitamin A is a soluble vitamin important for healthy vision and skin. It's also important for the development of specific immune cells to fight infections and inflammation. Present in: Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Kale Carrots Beef Liver Spinach Dried Apricots Broccoli Butter Egg Yolks Vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 plays a role in more than 100 different reactions in your body. It's needed to help to make amino acids, the building blocks for hundreds of cellular functions and proteins. It also helps to form hemoglobin and neurotransmitters and regulation of blood glycose. Vitamin B6 helps to improve the immune function by fighting off the foreign invaders in your body. Present in: Turkey Breast Grass-Fed Beef Pistachios Tuna Pinto Beans Avocado Chicken Breast Blackstrap Molasses Sunflower Seeds Sesame Seeds Omega- 3 Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, helping lowering instances of allergies and upper respiratory infections, fighting depression and anxiety, improving eye health, supporting bone and joint health and also heart health. Present in: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies) Oysters Caviar Seaweed Chia seeds Hemp seeds Flax seeds Walnuts Soybeans Quercetin Quercetin is an antioxidant that helps to neutralise free radicals and therefore reduce their damage to the body. It also helps protect against viral illnesses, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Quercetin ahelps to stabilise the cells that release histamine in the body, thus helping against allergic reactions. Present in: Raw onion Apples Red grapes Kale Capers Spinach Watercress Cherries Berries Broccoli Tomatoes Asparagus Green tea Black tea Chilli peppers Fermented foods and drinks They support healthy gut microbiome. And as 70% of our immune system is in our guts, it's important to consume on a regular basis fermented foods and drinks. Your skin health and brain health are also directly linked to the condition of your gut. Present in: Kefir Yoghurt Kombucha Kvass Sauerkraut Kimchi Pickled vegetables Miso Tempeh You can find a thorough list of fermented foods and drinks from this article. There are other additional foods and supplements that benefit the immune system: Elderberry Syrup Probiotic supplements Turmeric Oregano Essential Oil (dilute one drop in a glass of water) Medicinal mushrooms Tulsi (Holy Basil) If you are looking for support improving your diet and health, please do contact me for health and nutrition coaching at info@katrinpeo.com.

Your body is smart and is all the time trying to find the balance and constantly healing itself where needed. Your role is to support it so it can do its job well. If your immune system is under-active, it can result in infections and tumours, and over-active immune system is linked to allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases. So, what can you do boost your immune system and reduce inflammation in your body? Sleep It's important to prioritise sleep as it helps to fight the infections and restores the immune system and cellular structure. Aim to get 8h of sleep a night in a dark room and away from your electronic devices. Make sure you switch your phone on Airplane mode and ideally leave it out from your bedroom before going to bed- ideally this should be done couple of hours before actually going to bed to avoid exposure to blue light, which reduces the production of melatonin (hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle). I wear blue-light blocking glasses if I need to look at the screen after 9pm. Wash your hands regularly It is one of best ways to protect yourself from germs and pathogens. Use soap and water and wash your hands for 20-40 seconds at a time. Use alcohol based hand sanitiser if soap and water is not available. And avoid touching your face, especially nose, mouth and eyes with unwashed hands as these are the areas on your body, where the virus tends to sneak into your system. Eat immune-boosting nutrient-tense foods Eat all the colours of the rainbow- a variety of vegetables and fruits are key here. Include foods like garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, carrots, turmeric and berries that contain a lot of phytonutrients (blueberries, raspberries, sea buckthorn etc) . Consume organ meats, such as liver, as it is high in Vitamin A and C and known to support your immune system. Liver is also highest in iron from all the foods. Make sure you use different fresh or dried herbs that have strong immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory properties, like rosemary, thyme, cilantro, oregano and basil. Here is my blog post with a comprehensive list of immune boosting foods. Boost up your water intake and stay hydrated When you wake up in the morning, make sure you drink a big glass of water with a slice of lemon or a teaspoon of apple-cider vinegar. I also add a pinch of Himalayan pink salt into my morning water as well as during the night you loose water and minerals from your body and it's a great way to up those minerals in the morning. It's also great to drink in the morning freshly blended celery juice after you have had your morning water. Celery juice is known for cleansing the liver, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood-pressure, restores hydraulic acid in your gut, so you digest and absorb better nutrients from your food etc. Bone broth is one of the best foods to drink during the flu season and when your body needs to fight off viruses. It's great to use the home-made or store-bought broth as a basis for your soups. Drink dandelion tea or matcha green tea because of their high level of anti-oxidants. Avoid processed and added sugar Sugar as well as gluten and processed dairy are known to be inflammatory for your body. If you are looking to give your body the best tools to fight the virus, I advice you to stay away from sugar, gluten containing foods and processed dairy. But if you were to gut out anything and you know you are not gluten or dairy intolerant, I would advice to drop the sugar containing foods and any foods sweetened with artificial sweeteners. So which sugars and artificial sweeteners it's best to leave out from your diet: White and brown sugar (used in cookies, cakes, some breads) Syrups (corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, processed honey) Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, maple sugar, corn sugar, cane juice crystals, beet sugar, concentrated fruit juice etc) Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, glucose, fructose, maltodextrin, maltose, dextrose, sucrose etc) So read your labels when you purchase packaged products. If there is more than 5g of sugar in a food product you buy, pass it on and you do your immune cells a favour. Avoid Hydrogenated Oils Avoid oils like canola, corn, soybean. Hydrogenated oils raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, lower your good cholesterol (HDL) levels, and therefore can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke and also raises the risk of diabetes. Instead consume oils like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee and grass-fed butter. Best supplements to use for your immune system Vitamin C (helps to create white blood cells in your body). 1000-3000mg daily Vitamin D Zinc (if possible, separately) Selenium Magnesium Glycinate (if possible, separately) Methylated B-Vitamins (if possible, separately) Vitamin A Iron Echinacea High Quality Probiotics Astralagus root Reduce your stress levels Stress suppresses your immune system. Lessen your worry and any panic where possible. Do whatever feels relaxing for you and that supports your body- a walk outside in the nature; a bath filled with Epson salts to increase magnesium and reduce muscle tension in your body; get a massage from your partner or from your children; a yoga or meditation session etc. Following essential oils also help to reduce stress levels: lavender, cedar-wood, clary sage, frankincense. In this article you can get more tips on how to support your body if you are experiencing high-stress levels. Essential oils for immune system Essential oils that help to boost your immunity include oregano, eucalyptus, frankincense, myrrh, peppermint, ginger, lemon and cinnamon. These essential oils effectively destroy different viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens. Because antibiotic resistance amongst humans is becoming such a major threat in our modern conventional health care, using these essential oils as a form of independent therapy can help to fight off bacterial infections in a more natural and safer way. Exercise Make sure you get minimum half an hour walk in the fresh air outside to make sure your lymphatic system is flushing out all waste. Ideally you should do in addition a combination of strength training, cardio and yoga 3-4 times a week.

Your intestines are lined with microvilli (small hairs), to increase the surface area for greater nutrient absorption. The space between the microvilli provide ideal environment for the gut bacteria to thrive. This bacteria in our gut secrete enzymes that we need for efficient digestion and for us to absorb the nutrients from the food we eat. These enzymes help us to break down proteins, fat, carbohydrates and greens. Bacteria extracts energy from undigested carbohydrates that ferment in the gut and some bacteria also produce vitamins and anti-inflammation compounds. There are more than 100 million neurons that weave between the muscle layers of our gut. It's roughly the same number of neurons in our brain. If you didn't know then almost 80 percent of the serotonin (feel-good hormone), which is involved in memory, learning, sleep, mood and other interactions in the body, is made my the neurons in your gut and transported to the brain. Your gut and your brain are in constant communication- sending and receiving information via vagus nerve (a communication channel that connects the brain to all organs in your body). The communication that travels between the gut and the brain is called the gut-brain axis. Gut-Brain Axis Over 90 percent of the nerve pulses in the vegas nerve that connects the brain with all your organs in the body, are communication from the gut to the brain. Bacteria in the gut uses the same vagus nerve to communicate with the brain. Gut neurons and gut bacteria actively interact between themselves and their interactions are very important for our health. Gut bacteria produce copies of important peptides that travel via the bloodstream to your brain. These peptides are responsible for altering our behaviour and our emotions. They make large quantities of molecular copies of serotonin, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and other neurotransmitters- our bodies rely on these bacteria and their secretions for our homeostasis. Low levels of GABA can result in anxiety, poor focus, issues with long-term memory. If you are severely short of GABA, it could add to ADHD and autism. Gut bacteria help to organise the human nervous system. A deficit can mean increase in stress hormones- which could contribute to onset of depression, addictive behaviours, seizures. In this article you can read how you can support your brain health through food as well as lower anxiety. Gut bacterial imbalance can affect many functions in our bodies and lead to chronic inflammation that can also lead to damage of the skin microbiome, which contributes to faster ageing.

It must be ten years ago when I first read a book of essential oils. I learnt about the basics and used essential oils (lavender, tea tree, peppermint) here and there as natural remedies. Four years ago a friend of mine organised women's get-together and part of this event was for her friend in the US, an essential oil expert, to talk to us remotely about essential oils and how they had helped her and her family. Some of her stories, how essential oils can have powerful healing properties, were truly intriguing. I decided to buy myself a kit of good quality essential oils and a diffuser. I have never been the one who has wanted to take medicine for aches and antibiotics, unless I really have to and there is no other choice. My cures for pain have been rest, sleep, walking, drinking water and using essential oils. Until the late 1800s there was no division between plants and medicine - medicine only came from plants. It was only the early 1900s when synthetic chemicals were invented and where botanicals were divided off from pharmacology. Today the pharmaceutical industry is looking again towards botanicals and how can they use essential oil molecules as these oils are readily absorbed into the body and can quickly cross the blood-brain barrier. And because essential oils do not linger for long in the body, they are easy on the liver. Also inhaling aromatic molecules of essential oils elevates emotions and affects positively your nervous system. There is so much to talk and share about essential oils, but for most people the important first step is to do your homework before using any essential oil, as they need to be diluted, some of them are phototoxic and you really should know which ones can be ingested. Choose your essential oils carefully Not all essential oils are created equal. There are many companies out there who sell highly adulterated oils, which do not give you the expected and desired results and could even hurt you if they contain any chemicals or solvents that should not be added to essential oil. Don't fall in the trap of buying cheap essential oils. High-quality oils do cost quite a bit and there is a reason why the pure oils come in very small bottles (5-15ml bottles), you only need few drops to get the benefits of the oil. A 15ml bottle contains around 250 drops of essential oil. High-quality essential oil producers are paying a lot of attention to where the plants are grown from which they extract their oils. When you purchase the oils, know - where the oil is sourced by the company - is the harvesting done at peak times to ensure the best quality of the oil - is testing being done to ensure the purity and potency of the oil How to test the quality of an essential oil? Paper test- put a drop of essential oil on a piece of paper. Let it sit and evaporate for about one hour. If there is any residue or ring left behind on the piece of paper, you have an oil that's adulterated. Use this test for essential oils like Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon. This test won't work for essential oils like Patchouli, Rose, Vanilla, Jasmine as they need to be processed with solvents due to their delicate nature. Smell the oil for a clean scent, feel the oil, see if it absorbs quickly into your skin with carrier oil. What indicates that the company is producing high-quality essential oils? They display proper Latin names of the source plant on the bottle label. If carrier oil is used and if the oil is diluted, this should be listed. The bottle should have user guidelines, whether the oil is Aromatic (should only be used in a diffuser or inhaled), Topical (can be applied on the skin with a carrier oil), Internal (can be taken internally) Size of the bottle- as I wrote they come in 5-15ml bottles Bottle should be dark glass to protect from sun exposure, capped and fitted with a orifice reducer, that protects the oil from oxidation Essential oils from different plants are sold at different price levels as each oil requires different process of growing, harvesting and extracting as well as different amount of plant material to produce the oil Expiration date Potency of the oil- you shouldn't need to use more that a few drops to get the desired effect and result How to use Essential Oils? You can use essential oils aromatically, topically and internally. But do note, that not all oils can be used in all three ways- always check the label for usage. Aromatic usage This is the easiest way to use the oils- direct inhalation (from the bottle), indirect inhalation (applying few drops to a cotton ball or felt squares and putting them on a desired place to give aroma), diffusion (a small device that creates a fine airborne mist) or utilising steam (such as in the shower). Test whichever way works the best for you. Oils evaporate quickly and spread through an area, entering your lungs and your brain's olfactory system, where oils stimulate olfactory (smell) receptors. Mitral cells carry the output signals from the olfactory bulb to the limbic brain, which influences our emotions, hormonal balance, sleep, memory as well as to other areas of brain. Simple as that. Through smelling the oils, they also absorb into your bloodstream affecting the areas in need and also your endocrine system, which is responsible for our hormone production. Finally the oils are excreted from your body, through lungs, kidneys and skin pores after they have worked their magic on your body. Topical usage Applying essential oil mixed with a high quality carrier oil topically allows the chemical constituents to combine with the natural sebum of your skin and absorb quickly throughout your body from muscles, lymphatic system and bloodstream before being excreted. You also get the benefit of breathing the oils in while applying them. Internal usage Not all oils are recommended for internal consumption. And this should be done after careful homework and working with a healthcare provider. I have personally used internally only the oils that are clearly marked 'Used in the food' and these would be oils that come from fruits or spices, such as lemon, wild orange, lime, peppermint, clove, rosemary etc. I would put a few drops in the glass of water if I want a flavoured water or add a drop or two into my food when cooking.

Are you looking for something that satisfies your sweet tooth and yet is very good for the gut? You might want to try and make the below gummies. These have become by kids favourites and we make then weekly or bi-weekly basis and they have them as a starter snack before breakfast. I learnt about gelatine gummies from Sarah Wilson 'I Quit Sugar: Simplicious' book. Gummies are made of gelatine, which is a collagen powder made from the bones, skin and connective tissues of animals. Collagen makes up to almost one-third of all the protein in our bodies and if you don't get enough of it- it affects our gut, joints and our skin. Gelatine is also naturally occurring in bone broth. How should you buy and eat gelatine? It's important to buy gelatine from pasture-raised cows. The best gelatine comes as a powder and not sheets. Start with 1/2-1 tablespoon of gelatine a day and gradually increase to 3-4 tablespoons a day. As gelatine is a protein, it's important to consume it with fats to stimulate digestive juices and allow the body to use the protein properly. Get gelatine made from complete collagen, not collagen hydrolysate, to make the gummies. What are the health-benefits of gelatine? Helps with digestion, constipation and to heal gut lining by boosting acid production and restoring mucosal lining. Helps to lower joint pain and protects joints Reduces heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux by binding gut acids with the foods. Gelatine contains 8 amino acids, including (glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, glutamic acid, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, lysine). Helps your liver to detox and get rid of toxins by providing the amino acid glycine. Glycine can also help with anxiety. Improves your skin health Boosts metabolism and can therefore be used for weight loss. Reduces inflammation and can even help to heal small tears in the cartilage. Can also help with insomnia. If you take glycine before bed it can enhance your sleep quality, improve memory and reduce daytime sleepiness. How to make gelatine gummies? To make around 15 gummies, you can use the below basic recipe: 4 1/2 tablespoons of gelatine powder 1 1/2 cups chopped fruit or 1-1 1/2 cups (250-350 ml) of liquid You can sweeten the gummies with rice malt syrup or liquid stevia, but these are optional. Soak the gelatine in the 75ml (1/3 cups ) of cold water until dissolved. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Heat the liquid or fruit (and sweetener if added) in a saucepan almost till the boiling point and till the fruit has softened. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the 'bloomed' gelatine and stir until properly mixed. Use a blender to puree the mixture. You can then pour it into moulds (you can use any of your favourite moulds and even search for the gummy bears moulds if you like the shape of them) or a glass container. Cool a little bit and put in the fridge to set. If you used a glass container, then cut out squares. You can store the gummies in the airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I have also made the gummies, following the above recipe, with kiwi fruit and strawberries. But you can also make them using coconut milk and vanilla extract; with mango, coconut milk or cream, lime, and a pinch of cardamom; from peaches, kombucha and vanilla extract or with cherry juice, lemons and raw honey.

The foods you eat, determine a lot which types of bacteria live in your gut. If you change your diet, this will also affect your gut bacteria. Foods that boost or feed your gut bacteria are referred to as prebiotics. If you want the bacteria in your gut to grow, multiply, be happy and to protect you, you need to feed it well. The most preferred food for your gut-loving bacteria is digestion-resistant starch. These types of indigestible fibres pass through your small intestine unchanged and reach the colon, where the bacteria feed on them. The bacteria digest them and turn them into substance that feeds the cells within the colon. You can think of prebiotics as a fuel to help enhance your gut flora. Below are some benefits of prebiotics: Better gut health and digestion Promote the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli Prevent constipation and diarrhoea Lower inflammation in the body Lower colon pH level Better hormonal balance Higher immune function Lower risk of weight gain Healthier cholesterol level Lower risk for cardiovascular disease Resistance starch also helps to balance post-meal blood sugar levels, elevate insulin sensitivity and lower inflammation in the colon. Here are some prebiotic foods to include in your daily diet to naturally feed your microbiome: Cooked, cooled potatoes (boil them or roast them, put them in the fridge and eat the following day to receive the benefits) Green (under-ripe) bananas (ripe bananas are yellow and have brown spots on them. To get the prebiotic benefits, consume the green bananas) Raw chicory root (use it in baking or when fermenting veggies. You can also use it as a coffee substitute) Cassava Raw asparagus Dandelion root and greens (add chopped greens to salads) Plantain flour Potato starch Raw or cooked onions Raw garlic Raw leeks Jerusalem artichokes Raw collards Raw jicama Burdock root Cacao Coconut Legumes (beans and lentils) Artichokes Peas Apples Oats Green tea Raw honey Konjac root Seaweed Also read my blog about the probiotics to learn how you can get them from food and what you need to look out for when purchasing the supplements. If you are looking for nutritional coaching to improve your daily diet, please don't hesitate to reach out to me info@katrinpeo.com.

Your skin is your biggest organ of your body and your first layer of defence against invading pathogens. Whatever you put onto your skin, absorbs into your skin- and into your bloodstream. Therefore it's very important that you knowingly decide what you put onto your skin- both to support your skin and your whole body, but also be wary of things you should not put on your skin. I started to use essential oils on my face around year and a half ago. Around that time I also stopped using make-up on a daily basis. I still use mascara here and there, a blush and a moisturising lip-gloss- but all from mineral cosmetics to reduce burden on skin and liver. I also stopped using daily facial creams, and now only use very basic all-natural creams when the weather is cold or skin needs protection from the sun. I love what the essential oils have done to the skin (in combination of consuming non-inflammatory diet). It's soft and subtle. I do have some age-spots, but I am in the process of finding out whether a particular essential oil helps with them. Will let you know. I pick my essential oils for skin depending on my mood. They all have different ways they support the skin and help with different skin issues you might have. Frankincense This must be one of my favourites. I love the smell of it, but it also has several healing properties, such as reducing the appearance of stretch marks and scars. But it also helps to reduce wrinkles and fine lines and improves overall skin elasticity. I mix 1 to 2 drops of it either into jojoba oil, fractionated coconut oil or if my skin needs extra moisture during cold season, then mix into pure shea butter and then apply on my face or other parts of the body that need moisturising. Frankincense also aids with anxiety and stimulates the immune system. Lavender Besides this being a known essential oil to calm the nervous system and aid with good-night sleep, lavender also triggers the production of several antioxidants: glutathione (your body's main antioxidant), superoxide dismutase and catalase. When you body's cells are under stress it's glutathione that comes to the rescue. Lavender oil also aids with would healing as it triggers protein synthesis. Pomegranate seed It offers powerful protection against sun-damage and inhibits UVB-induced damage, thereby protecting collagen Myrrh oil Is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, as it contains sesquiterpenes and terpenoids, which fight free radicals and control inflammation. It supports youthful and glowing skin and protects against sun damage. Jojoba as a carrier oil Jojoba can be used by itself as it is closest to our skin's natural sebum and is hydrating containing ingredients like vitamin E and B complex, zinc, copper, chomium and silicon. Or it's a great carrier oil to use with essential oils when applying to skin. Rose-hip oil It's high in vitamin C, which is important in collagen production. Rose-hip is also a rich source of essential fatty acids such as palmitic, oleic, linoleic and gamma linoleic. Apply the oil on areas of your skin that require strengthening and support. Essential-oils for specific purpose for your skin Healthy Skin Complexion Frankincense Helichrysum Melaleuca (Tea tree) Rose Skin Irritations Lavender and Geranium mixed together Sensitive Skin Lavender Roman Chamomile Frankincense Anti-Aging Skin Lavender Frankincense Neroli Skin Toning and Purification All citrus oils (lemon, orange, bergamot, lime and grapefruit) Caution: do not put essential oils directly on your skin without diluting them as they might cause allergic reaction. Also keep away essential oils getting into your eyes.

When I was a child and I was sick then my mother often made bone-broth, as it was nourishing and easy to digest when I was unwell. I did not know about the benefits of it or why should we consume more of it and not only when we are sick, until couple of years ago. Based on my readings from various doctors, nutritionists and functional medicine doctors, I hereby share the health benefits of bone broth as well as how to make it, as it is very easy to do. Bone broth is full of collagen and gelatine helping to rebuild your gut lining. Consuming refined sugar and flour, alcohol, caffeine, fried foods, antibiotics etc, can damage your intestine and cause leaky gut. Minerals and special proteins found in bone broth can help to repair the gut lining. Bone broth nourishes your immune system when you are having a cold or a flu. Cystein, an amino acid present for example in chicken, can help to thin mucus that you often develop when you are down with flu or cold, so you can get rid of it more easily. Bone broth reduces inflammation in the body and helps with joint pain. The bones and joints that are used to make the bone broth contain nutrients that strengthen your skeletal system. Collagen, gelatine, glucosamine and chondroitin support the repair of bones and joints and may help to reduce inflammation throughout your body. Bone broth contains many minerals such as magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, selenium and calcium which are all important for our bone and joint health as well as for our mood. Bone broth helps to keep your skin elastic and healthy and your hair shiny. Our skin contains collagen that starts to break down in our early twenties. Wrinkles are caused by having fewer collagen strands within our skin. Bone broth can really improve our skin elasticity as it's also a reach source of skin-supporting amino acids such as glycine and proline, apart from collagen. Bone broth can heal your brain. If you have a diet rich in bone broth, it can improve your mood, help you to deal better with stress and it helps to reduce inflammation in the brain. How to make bone broth? You can really get more creative with bone broth by adding different vegetables and fresh and dried herbs and spices, but the base is typically the same. Ingredients 1.8kg or so organic meat bones (chicken, beef, lamb, venison) 5L of water 1 medium coarsely chopped onion 2-3 coarsely chopped carrots 2 celery stalks 1-2 cups of parsley stems 1/2 cup of raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, as it helps to pulls out minerals from the bones, making the broth more nutritionally potent 2 tsp of grey sea salt or pick rock salt parsley Optional broth boosters: lemongrass turmeric bay leaf You also need a 5L pot, a slow cooker pot or a pressure cooker. Instructions: Roasting the bones for 45min in the pre-heated oven at 175C before simmering them in the water gives a lot of additional flavour to the broth. So do this step first. Place the bones in the pot or slow cooker and add the water, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, vegetables and salt. Bring it to a boil and remove any foam that rises to the top. Cover and simmer for 8-12 hours. You can go longer as well- this will add more flavour to the broth. Once ready, strain the broth into a large bowl and discard the solids. Pour the broth into jars, then let it cool down before you refrigerate or freeze the broth (leave some room at the top of the jar for the broth to expand and loosen the seal before you freeze to avoid braking the glass jar. A layer of fat that forms at the top of the broth will preserve it and also will help to keep the microbes out. The broth keeps 4 days in the fridge or up to 12 months in the freezer. You can warm and drink broth, you can add it as a base to your soups, stews, sauces. You can make savoury oats porridge by boiling oats in broth or also make buckwheat by boiling it in bone broth. If you want to use just small quantity of broth to flavour food, pour some into ice-cube tray after you have made the broth, cover up and freeze it. Then you can take only what you need and add to food you are preparing. A side note: Though bone broth is a very healthy food, people who are sensitive to glutamic acid or who have histamine intolerance, should be mindful when consuming it. Pressure-cooker helps to reduce histamine in the broth. If you make the broth in a pot, reduce the cooking time to 4h to make the broth more histamine friendly.

If you didn't know this yet, all your muscles, organs, tissues, hormones are made of protein. Eating a high-protein diet has many health benefits, including: supports your muscles and bones helps you to lose and maintain weight helps to stabilise your blood sugar levels reduces brain fog supports cardiovascular health improves your ability to learn and focus, promoting healthy brain function As we age we loose muscle mass and it's therefore even more important to consume good-quality protein and do strength training to increase our muscle mass. The standard recommendation is that you should get around 0.8g of good quality protein per kilogram of your body weight a day. So if you weigh 60kg, you should get minimum of 48g of protein per day. This of course depends also on your lifestyle and activity level. Protein is very important for your live detoxification process. Here is a list of foods that contain the most protein per gram. 1. Grass-fed beef- 22g of protein per 85g (3 oz) It's one of the best high-protein foods you can find. Besides if providing you with close to 50 percent of your daily value of protein, it's also a great source for vitamins A, E and antioxidants. 2. Organic chicken- 21g of protein per 85g (3 oz) Just one chicken breast provides you with over 30 percent of your daily value of protein. Chicken has also high levels of B vitamins (niacin, B6), important for lowering LDL cholesterol, lowering risk of cardiovascular disease, treating diabetes 3. Protein powder from Bone Broth- single serving (1/4 cup) provides with 20g of protein Besides protein, bone broth contains amino acids that support gut and detoxification and important minerals, including magnesium, selenium, potassium and calcium. Bone broth protein powder provides you with the same benefits as bone broth, improving joint health, boosting your immune system, helping healing leaky gut and reducing cellulite 4. Lentils- 1 cup contains 18g of protein Lentils a great plant-based protein to consume, containing dietary fibre, iron, potassium, phosphorus, iron, folate, B vitamins etc. The nutrients and protein in lentils regulate blood sugar levels, alkalise your body by balancing its pH level, aids with digestion and boost cardiovascular health 5. Wild-Caught Salmon- 17 grams of protein per 85g (3 oz) Wild-Caught Salmon is one of the healthiest protein foods as it's also high in omega-3 fatty acids, including vitamins and minerals like B3,B5, B6, B12, vitamin D, selenium, potassium. It has great benefits for your heart, skin, brain, bones, cells and eyes. 6. Black Beans- 1 cup contains 15 grams of protein Black beans are a great source of both protein and fibre, helping you to feel full and satisfied and controlling your blood sugar levels. The combination of protein and fibre also helps body to absorb nutrients and release acids into your bloodstream helping you to feel more energised and cleansing your digestive tract. 7. Free-Range Eggs- 1 large egg contains 7 grams of protein Eggs are one of the best high-protein, low carb foods as they have a complete amino-acid profile, plus fats. They contain all 9 amino acids that we need to get from food. Adding free-range organic eggs as a protein source to your diet, helps with your heart health, weight loss, and boosting the health of your skin. Eggs are high in biotin and B6, which help to absorb protein 8. Yoghurt- 160g contains 6-9 grams of protein Adding yoghurt, a high protein probiotic food to your list of proteins you want to consume, boosts your immune system, supports your weight loss and regulates your mood. Unflavoured greek yoghurt is the most commonly recommended option here, but you can also consider yoghurt made from goat's or sheep's milk. 9. Goat Cheese- 28g contain 7 grams of protein Goat's milk is easier to digest than cows milk and goats cheese as well as feta cheese (from goat's or sheep milk) provide good protein per serving, plus it contains medium-chain fatty acids that help lower cholesterol and boost energy levels. 10. Almonds - around 20 almonds provide you with 5g of protein Almonds are a great healthy snack containing protein, fibre, unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and minerals like magnesium and riboflavin. You can also choose to consume nut butters, rather than whole nuts. But do choose the ones that contain only nuts and no added oils or sugar. For better absorption soak and sprout nuts before eating and store them in a fridge or freezer to avoid oxidation. 11. Lamb- 25g of protein per 85g (3 oz) As well as being very high in protein, lamb is one of the better sources of nutrients like zinc, iron, vitamin B12. It does contain decent amount of fat, including saturated fat. But it also supplies with CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which is linked with weight management and improving satiety 12. Sardines- 22g of protein per 110g (4 oz) Besides being one of the sustainable sources of high protein, they are one of the best sources of natural omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, B vitamins, phosphorus and selenium. Sardines are also considered as 'nature's botox'. Other animal based protein rich foods include: beef liver, lamb, chicken liver, duck, wild game, pork, other fish and seafood, cottage cheese, kefir etc. Other plant based protein rich foods include: quinoa, chickpeas, white beans, kidney beans, green peas, spirulina, natto, tempeh, edamame, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, Ezekiel bread etc. If you are looking to receive nutritional counselling to improve your diet, to have the meals balanced in order to support healthy weight, to have the energy you need to do things you love- then do reach out to me for nutritional counselling at info@katrinpeo.com.

Are you questioning how should you eat so you feel full, satisfied and won't get those in between meal cravings? How can you keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day with the help of food? One of the very first books I read around nutrition was Body Love by Kelly LeVeque. It explains very simply what happens to food, when it enters the body. In order for your body to feel full after the meal and to be able to have that 4-5 hour window between meals, you need to eat protein, fat, fibre and greens at every meal. Protein Protein signals your brain that you are full. It increases the production of leptin ('full' hormone) and also releases dopamine ('reward' hormone). If you don't eat enough protein, you will crave for more carbohydrates. Protein is also a source of amino acids which are building blocks for cells and collagen for cell repair. Proteins also contain B vitamins and minerals which help with overall food absorption. Learn from this post about the foods highest in protein. Fat Fat activates your satiety hormone leptin, reduces fasting insulin levels, makes you feel more relaxed, slows digestion, curbs cravings and hydrates cells. Some of the best fats include: avocado, butter & ghee, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, salmon sardines for their omega-3s, nuts and seeds, eggs, organic grass-fed beef, MCT (medium-chain triglycerides oil, dark chocolate. Read more on healthy fats here. Fibre Fibre provides food for good bacteria in our gut, which also help to keep you more regular in the toilet. It also helps your body to produce butyrate ('super fat' for the gut) that prevents cancer and has anti-inflammatory properties. Fibre also removes toxins from the body and slows down the absorption of glucose. There are two types of fibre- soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fibre’s role is to provide bulk in your intestines, while at the same time balancing the pH (acidity) levels in the intestines. Insoluble fibre promotes regular bowel movements and helps relieve and prevent constipation. Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve in water and also doesn’t ferment with bacteria in the colon. Nuts, seeds, fruit with skin on, green vegetables and potatoes are some examples of foods high in insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre helps to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. Soluble fibre creates a gel in the system by binding with fatty acids. It also prolongs stomach emptying to allow for better absorption of nutrients. Soluble fibre rich foods include legumes and beans, oats, berries and some vegetables. This fibre however does ferment in the stomach, which can therefore lead to bloating and gas. Make sure you increase these foods gradually, and drink plenty of water when you eat them. The best fibre-rich foods include: avocados, berries, coconut, figs (both fresh and dried), artichokes, peas, Brussels sprouts, turnips, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, quinoa, bananas, oats, beets). Click here to learn more about fibre, its importance for the body and different foods to consume. Greens Greens provide us with phytonutrients and phytochemicals. They contain sugar sulfoquinovose that feed gut microbiota. They also provide naturally occurring resistant starch that feed microbiota, serve as anti-inflammatory, anticancer and detoxification agents. They also produce antioxidants that repair cell damage from the environment. If you are looking to get nutritional counselling in order to make your diet more balanced and healthy, don't hesitate to reach out to me at info@katrinpeo.com.

Do you ever feel that you are a product on a conveyor belt, when going to a doctor, or especially if you have to visit emergency room in the hospital? Simply because depending on the severity level of your health concern, you are either helped quickly and efficiently or you need to wait for a long time and you will often receive not more than 10-15 minutes from the doctor. Don’t get me wrong, I have a high respect towards doctors as they have saved my life couple of times, but I do believe that we could do so much more in the healthcare and look at every human being as a whole and not as separate pieces in a puzzle. I got to know about functional medicine couple of years ago through my own studies through books and really believe we should pay more attention to it. In order to help a person heal from an illness or simply cure an imbalance, we need to look at the person as a whole, understand the lifestyle, understand their current diet, their level of physical activity and most importantly their length and quality of sleep. Functional medicine looks to heal the underlying cause present in the body rather than masking the illness with medicine. With proper diagnostic testing it is possible to re-balance your bodily system with targeted foods and herbal support. And by focusing on every person as an individual it is possible to unleash body’s inherent healing ability and to reverse the disease, naturally. FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE IS: Focused on the patient, not on disease. Treatments are personalised based on your needs. Holistic, treating the body as a whole and understanding the importances of all bodily connections in health and disease. Involving you as a patient, where you are being educated, encouraged, you feel empowered and you play an active role in the whole healing process. Investigative, treating symptoms by addressing the underlying causes, which leads to longer lasting results. Preventative. ‘Let the food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food”. (Hippocrates) CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE IS: Focused on disease. It mostly treats the disease and not the patient. Patients who have similar disease get similar treatment, despite their differences. Often limited, as it relies only on drugs and surgery, despite off their risks and complications. Doctors centred. Yours as patient’s opinion is often ignored or simply not listened to. Patient is often discouraged playing an active role in the healing process. Masking symptoms and is not focused on underlying cause, which might create ‘patients for life.” Focused on body as a collection of separate body parts, for which there is a different doctor for each part. Reactive rather than proactive, where it is focusing on managing the disease after it has already reached to a state where it might be impossible to heal.

We have over thirty-seven billion chemical reactions happening in our bodies every second of the day. What we put into our bodies have a direct and immediate impact to our health. There is a reason why it's said: "Your health starts at the end of your fork." Every single reaction in our body needs essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals for it to work. Both inflammation and obesity are something that are very often caused by our modern diet- too much starch, sugar, trans fats, ultra-processed foods, artificial sweeteners etc. And even though there are of course other things that influence the inflammation in the body (think allergens, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, stress), food plays a primary role in whether our health thrives or suffers. I recently read a quote from Steve Jobs, from when he was at the end of his life in 2011. One sentence in the quote applies to very much what I want to focus on in this blog: “Eat your food as your medicine. Otherwise you have to eat medicine as your food.” Functional medicine believes that most of the modern diseases are linked to inflammation, such as obesity, cancer, heart disease, allergies, autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis etc), depression, dementia etc. Inflammation is caused very often in your gut. As ancient Greek physician Hippocrates said 2500 years ago: "All disease beings in the gut", and today's science is seeing it more and more. Many of us see food just as energy or calories, but it's more than that- it's information and instructions for your body. Food influences every aspect of your biology. Food is protein, fats, carbohydrates, fibre, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, phytochemicals and so on. How is your body built? Your body has a set of biological systems integrated with one another- they are all influenced by your lifestyle, your environment and the food you eat. Food is the biggest influencer- it can either heal or harm the below systems. Gut and gut microbiome Your gut is very much influenced by what you eat. If the diet is unhealthy, you can get many illnesses as a result. Even depression is linked to your gut, if you eat the wrong foods. What you eat determines what bacteria grows in your gut- whether good or harmful. Gut damaging foods you should be avoiding that can create a leaky gut: gluten, refined foods, conventional dairy, trans fats. Gut healing diet: your gut bacteria love fibre, the most essential ones are called prebiotics, which are found in foods like artichokes, asparagus, plantain, seaweed, vegetables etc. Your gut also needs probiotic foods, like sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso, nato. Your gut needs minerals and vitamins, like zinc, which is important for enzyme function and found in pumpkin seeds, oysters, meat, legumes, nuts, eggs. You also need omega-3 from fish, which you can find in wild-caught salmon, sardines, herring. Vitamin A is important for your gut lining, which you get from beef liver, cod liver oil, salmon, goat's cheese. Collagen is also important for the gut, that you get for example from bone broth. Polyphenols are very important for the gut and its flora- these are found in colourful vegetables, fruits and berries (pomegranate, green tea (matcha, cranberries, blackberries, blueberries). Immune system and inflammatory system If you have a chronic illness, you are inflamed. If you are overweight, you are inflamed. Foods that can cause chronic inflammation in the body are ultra-processed foods, refined foods, too much starch, sugar, conventional dairy. This all spikes your body's insulin levels. Fat cells deposited around your waist produce molecules of inflammation, called cytokines. How can you boost your immune system? Gut down on sugar and starch, gluten and conventional dairy. There are many foods that are anti-inflammatory: ginger, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, turmeric, rosemary, medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, chaga, reishi, cordyceps). Also vitamins and minerals are important for healthy immune system: Vitamin C (parsley, cranberries, sea buckthorn, strawberries), zinc, selenium (Brazil nuts, sardines), Vitamin D (from sun, but also from mushrooms, oily fish, liver, eggs) Energy system (how do you make energy in your cells and in your mitochondria) If you eat processed food, too much food, too few phytochemical rich foods, it causes oxidation in your body, which means your body rusts and ages. Oxidation drives inflammation in the body. How do you get energy from food and improve therefore energy in your mitochondria- by consuming foods rich in B-vitamins, zinc, selenium, magnesium, Co-Q10, carnitine, NAC, Omega-3 fats, vitamin E, vitamin K, sulphur etc. Eat foods that are full of these nutrients: pomegranates, grass-fed beef, blueberries, broccoli, almonds, avocado, MCT oil (this is the cleanest burning fuel for your mitochondria) and more. Intermittent fasting is also a tool to use to optimise mitochondrial function and reduce the cell-ageing. Detoxification system Our body has its own detox system (skin, kidneys, liver, digestion system, lungs). One of the best things you can do for improving the detoxing pathways is to drink adequate amounts of water and eat a lot of fibre. In order to support your liver function, eat foods like broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower. You also need amino-acids from clean protein for your liver. Drink green tea and consume regularly curcumin (in turmeric), cilantro, ginger, dandelion greens, burdock root, watercress, artichokes, which all help to make sure your liver is cleansing your body from toxins. Circulatory system Circulatory system is your body's transport system. Poor circulatory system causes cardiovascular disease and inflammation is the biggest cause here. If you include a lot of antioxidant, phytochemical and arginin rich foods - you are supporting your cardiovascular health as well as reduce inflammation. Foods that are all great for your circulatory system are pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, seaweed, olive oil, turkey etc. Communication systems between your cells Your hormones are sending messages all around the body. Insulin resistance is one of the biggest hormonal issues in the modern world. By getting rid of too much starch and sugar, you are helping your body cells to become more responsive to insulin and also make sure your hunger hormone like ghrelin and satiety hormone like leptin are functioning as they should. Too much insulin also has a negative effect on your female and male hormones like oestrogen and testosterone, where imbalance results in facial hair in women, 'men-boobs' in men. Increase intake of certain types of fibre like flaxseeds (that helps to get rid of extra oestrogen). Cortisol is another hormone that influences negatively insulin and your other hormones, if it's chronically too high. It's important to consume whole foods, low glycemic foods, foods rich in fibre and enjoy a plant rich diet. Your thyroid is also influenced by food (gutting down on gluten containing foods has a positive effect). Your thyroid also likes zinc, iodine, selenium containing foods. Structural system- cell membranes, muscular and skeleton system We are made of 55% water, 23% fat, 16% protein, 6% minerals, small amounts of vitamins and less than 1% carbohydrates. In modern world many people have their diets consisting of high amounts of starch and sugar. But instead we should focus on proteins, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Every cell in our body contains fats, our brain is made of 60% fats- so consuming healthy fats is very important for thee body. You want to eat eggs, nuts, seeds, avocados, high-quality protein (grass-fed beef) etc. I hope the above gave you a good overview, why we need to focus on consuming healthy whole foods, and why food can either be poison for your body or a miracle drug. If the above is too overwhelming and you are unsure where to start to improve your diet, reach out to me for health coaching at info@katrinpeo.com.

Are you someone regularly consuming plant drinks, like almond drink, in your diet and purchase the packaged drinks from the supermarket without reading the product label about the ingredients? You could be consuming foods that disrupt your gut microbiome, causing bloating and gas and contributing to chronic inflammation in the body. Take a look at the plant drink you are purchasing (almond, oat, rice, soy, coconut) and see if you can find any of the following ingredients on the product label: stabilisers, emulsifiers, acidity regulators? These are added in the drinks to extend their shelf-life but could negatively affect the bacteria in your gut. If you purchase organic almond drink, you typically don't see anything else on the product label than spring water, almond paste and sea salt. If you haven't tried to make almond milk at home, you might want to give it a try as it's much easier than you think. Homemade Almond Milk Makes 1 litre Ingredients 1 cup of almonds (soak them for 2-3 hours in the water) 4 cups of water Instructions After the almonds have soaked in the water, pour away the water and rinse almonds once more if needed. Put the almonds and 4 cups of water in the blender and blend around 1 minute. Take the cheese cloth, put it over a jug (I used a rubber band to secure it) and pour the blended almond-water liquid in there. Once the liquid has run through the cheese cloth, take the remaining almond pulp inside the cheese cloth and squeeze the rest of the liquid out into the jug. Pour the almond milk into a bottle and put a cap on. Homemade almond milk keeps in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Do not discard the almond pulp as you can use it for various purposes and in recipes, like: bread crumbs (spread the pulp onto a parchment line baking sheet, and dry at a lowest heat in the oven or use a dehydrator) almond flour (when you dry the pulp you can turn it into a fine flour in a spice grinder) cookies or macaroons crackers- I tried and made those with just rosemary and sea salt and came out very nice (just make sure you roll the dough quite thin as then the crackers come out crispier) hummus- a good option to try if hummus from legumes make you too gassy smoothies to make them more nutritious energy bites vegan cheese

If you are looking a fulfilling and tasty salad to accompany your barbeque or 'braai' (as they use in South Africa), then this is a salad to make. It's easy, it's healthy and it's tasty. I must have made it hundreds of times and shared the recipe with many friends around the world. I can't remember from where did I get the original recipe for this salad myself as it's many years I have made it. But as I rarely use recipes when cooking and use them mainly for inspiration, this salad has also received its modifications over the years. Quantity of ingredients depends on the number of people, but I have seen that if you want to make a salad for 4-6 people, below is what you need This serving plate is a memory of my dear grandmother Vilma Ingredients 1 big or two smaller sweet potatoes 1 big or two smaller beetroots 1 bag of rocket salad 1 goat cheese you can crumble 2 gloves of garlic Pumpkin seeds Olive oil Honey Grainy Dijon mustard Lemon or white wine vinegar Instructions Heat the oven to 185C (365F). I use rotitherm function on my oven. Peel and cut sweet potatoes and beetroot into triangular form. Lay them out on the pan separated and mix them on the pan with olive oil and 1 crushed garlic clove. Don't mix them together as the beetroot stains the sweet potato and then it won't look visually as beautiful on the plate when served. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until they are nice a crispy. Make the salad dressing after you have put the vegetables in the oven to bake. The quantity of the dressing depends how juicy you want the salad to be. I use around 4 table-spoons of olive oil, 1 table spoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 crushed garlic and one table spoon of white wine vinegar. Mix all the ingredients together and set aside. Toast 3-4 table spoons of pumpkin seeds on the pan to release the flavour. Then take a big serving plate. Wash the rocket (and dry it). Lay the rocket leaves on the plate. Once the vegetables are ready and cooled down, sprinkle them on the rocket so the beetroot and sweet potato are mixed on the salad. Then crumble goats cheese on top of the vegetables. Then sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top of the goats cheese and finally pour from spoon the salad dressing evenly over the salad. And then it's ready to serve and enjoy :).

In the world of nutrition, few food groups offer the diverse array of health benefits packed into beans and lentils. These humble legumes have been a staple in diets across cultures for centuries, prized for their versatility, affordability, and above all, their remarkable nutritional profile. From promoting heart health to aiding in weight management, beans and lentils stand out as nutritional powerhouses deserving of a prominent place in everyone's diet. Nutrient Density Beans and lentils are renowned for their exceptional nutrient density. They are rich sources of plant-based protein, making them an excellent alternative for individuals looking to reduce their intake of animal products. Moreover, they are packed with dietary fibre, which aids in digestion, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and promotes a feeling of fullness, making them an invaluable asset for weight management. Below is a list of most commonly consumed legumes: Kidney beans White beans Black beans Navy beans Soy beans Edamame (immature soybeans) Fava beans Lima beans (also known as butter beans) Pinto beans Mung beans Green beans Adzuki beans Chickpeas (also known as garbanzos) Black-eyed peas Peas Alfalfa Lentils (green and red) Peas Sugar snap peas Peanuts (yes, these are legumes and not nuts) Licorice (also in the legume family) Specific nutrients vary for specific types of legumes, but they are generally high in magnesium, iron, folate, manganese, copper, phosphorus, potassium and thiamine. Some specific legumes, like peas also have a good amount of vitamin A, C and K. They are also a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre. Heart Health One of the most significant benefits of incorporating beans and lentils into your diet is their positive impact on heart health. These legumes are low in fat and high in soluble fibre, which helps lower LDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, they contain potassium, magnesium, and folate, nutrients known to support cardiovascular function and reduce the risk of heart disease. Blood Sugar Control For individuals managing diabetes or aiming to stabilise blood sugar levels, beans and lentils offer a valuable ally. Their high fibre content slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing spikes in blood glucose levels after meals. This makes them an excellent choice for promoting long-term blood sugar control and reducing the risk of complications associated with diabetes. Weight Management Incorporating beans and lentils into your meals can also support weight management efforts. Their high fibre and protein content contribute to feelings of fullness and satiety, reducing the likelihood of overeating. Additionally, they have a relatively low glycemic index, meaning they cause gradual and steady increases in blood sugar levels, which can help curb cravings and prevent energy crashes that often lead to unhealthy snacking. Rich in Antioxidants Beans and lentils are packed with antioxidants, compounds that help protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation. These antioxidants, including flavonoids and polyphenols, have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular disease. By regularly consuming beans and lentils, you can fortify your body's defence against harmful free radicals and promote long-term health and wellness. Food for Gut Microbes Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are rich in dietary fibre, which acts as a prebiotic, nourishing the beneficial bacteria in the gut. This fibre helps promote regular bowel movements and prevents constipation, aiding in overall digestive health. Additionally, legumes contain resistant starch, which undergoes fermentation in the colon, producing short-chain fatty acids that support gut integrity and reduce inflammation. Incorporating legumes into the diet can contribute to a diverse and thriving gut microbiome, promoting better digestion and overall well-being. Versatility and Accessibility One of the greatest advantages of beans and lentils is their versatility in the kitchen. From hearty stews and soups to salads and dips, the culinary possibilities are endless. Moreover, they are incredibly affordable and have long shelf lives, making them accessible to people from all walks of life. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice cook, beans and lentils offer a convenient and budget-friendly way to incorporate nutritious meals into your daily routine. When incorporating beans and lentils into your diet, follow these simple guidelines: Start slow- if you have not been consuming beans, have been on a low fibre diet, have digestive issues, then start adding beans slowly to your meals, a teaspoon or a tablespoon at a time to your salad, soup, stew and see how you feel. Too much at a time can cause gas. Lentils cause typically less or no bloating, so start with those. Lentils also have shorter cooking time if you prepare them from raw. When you cook your beans from raw, soak them first for 24h and then rinse with water before starting boiling them. Lentils can be soaked as well to improve their bioavailability and reduce the phytic acid. When you purchase legumes in cans or cartons, rinse them thoroughly before using. That way you also reduce the possibilities for the legumes to produce the gas. Add a kombu leaf to the boiling water when cooking beans. This will help to make it easier for the gut to digest beans. If you have a pressure cooker at home, use that for cooking beans as they are easier on the gut when cooked through thoroughly. Try different types of legumes as they provide different nutrients and your body might to better with some rather than with the others. Sprout and ferment legumes, which lowers their anti-nutrient content and improves their bioavailability. Sprouted mung beans are a great addition to salads or to a pad thai if you love Thai food. Chew well, as you have digestive enzymes in your saliva in the mouth that help to break down the starches. Add beans and lentils to grains (quinoa, buckwheat, rice, millet), mix them with other vegetables, leafy greens in the salads or stews. They also pair well with nuts and seeds. You can add cumin, black pepper, ginger to meals with beans to ease digestion. It's recommended not to eat beans with eggs, milk products, fruits, meat and fish. You can learn more about the food combining here. Beans and lentils are nutritional powerhouses that offer a wide range of health benefits. From supporting heart health and blood sugar control to aiding in weight management and providing potent antioxidants, these legumes are an essential component of a healthy diet. By incorporating beans and lentils into your meals regularly, you can nourish your body, protect against chronic diseases, and embark on a journey towards optimal health and wellness. So next time you're planning your meals, don't overlook the humble bean and lentil—they may just be the key to unlocking a healthier, happier you. If you want to make your daily diet healthier and are not sure how to go about it, do reach out to me for nutrition coaching at info@katrinpeo.com.