Juicing - An In-house experiment (2) ZINGY LIFE AS IT IS

Having established that I was in the business of concocting juices for a living (read about that here in this somewhat poignant tale), I have had enormous fun at home in my kitchen, with Classic FM or Absolute radio for company - depending on how I've woken up - reminiscing about juice recipes, and getting into my new juice regime.

There isn't much I haven't tried all over again. From beets to orange, I've enjoyed the lot. My favourite recipe remains apple and ginger, however, from a health point of view, my other favourite recipe is the ZINGY LIFE AS IT IS.

For this - apart from the obvious (a juicer), you will need:
2 oranges, peeled
A third of a bag of spinach leaves
3 medium sized carrots
3 apples
A good knob of ginger

Simply whizz it through and you'll find it makes about a pint. Keep it in the fridge and drink from it throughout the day, or guzzle the lot down, whatever your body needs at the time. Enjoy!

Juicing - An in-house experiment (1)

I started juicing soon after I finished coffee-ing. Make sense? Probably not. Let me fill you in. Here's the post on giving up coffee.

So having kicked the habit and beginning to feel the benefits, I began to crave feeling better. Basically, looking after myself. (God knows I've put my body through it over the years and self destruct mode is lethal). Anyway, for the health purposes alone of nutritious support from within, I wanted to try drinking juice as a replacement for my morning coffee. More than anything, I saw it as an aid to my immune system. Here's a snippet of something I wrote earlier about combating depression naturally...

THE DAILY GRIND - Should YOU give up coffee? (2)

Something that could never have helped with my Post Natal Depression was the amount of coffee I drank everyday. Eight cups is a lot for anyone. Except perhaps the ex Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He apparently drank 40 cups a day. He died two years ago. Age 58.

THE DAILY GRIND - Should YOU give up coffee? (1)

Yes. Instantly. I'm just wondering why on earth I didn't do it before? 

NELSONS Rosehip oil - A glowing report - A review (3)

NELSONS Rosehip oil - A glowing report

A few weeks back HRH Kate, happened to admit to the press that she uses Rosehip oil, which apparently has the power to reduce wrinkles and turn you into a princess.

Obviously, I was more than happy to put this to the test on behalf of Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy Skincare Range.

I did my research - i.e. tried it for a week, and loved it. I applied a few drops in the morning after cleansing my face, rubbing it in gently to the wrinkly laughter lined areas.

Pure Rosehip Oil - Is it really that good? Rosehip oil review (2)

Can Rosehip Oil reduce wrinkles?

In my quest to find out, this morning I put this on FB:

Whilst I'm on the subject of a new me... Rosehip oil review (1)

...I've been sent this Nelsons Homeopathic product to try

It has sold out everywhere because HRH Kate, happened to admit to the press that she is using it.

Apparently, Pure Rosehip oil has the power to reduce wrinkles, and, give you that pregnancy glow.

(I'm wondering, can it get rid of that one stray wiry hair that insists on returning to my chin every so often too?)

Of course I'll give it ago. And I'll keep you posted.

And for the record, I just need the glow not the pregnancy.


FOOTNOTE - 
WHEN - THE VERY NEXT DAY 
WHERE - ON TWITTER
WHAT -
I've not turned into a #princess quite yet... but day one of using #Rosehip oil & it's looking promising #skin #tips http://writinglifeasitis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/whilst-im-on-subject-of-new-me.html …

Healing homeopathic medicine - Arnica (Nelsons Arnicare)

The healing properties of Arnica (Nelsons Arnicare)

The Arnica Montana plant is mainly found in Europe, and is a relative of the sunflower. It is the flower of the plant that is used to make the medicine which can be taken in tablet form or applied to the skin for pain and swelling associated with bruises, aches, sprains and arthritis. Interestingly, most of us assume it's only for bruising, but it can be used topically on insect bites, muscle and cartilage pain, chapped lips, and even acne. I took the tablets during labour, (at the advice of my midwife), but on this occasion I used it for...

Growing flowers QVC Watch Them Grow Kit (3) Success to temperance

The clocks have fallen. Again. Just.

The wind is whipping up the leaves once more.

But the late summer sun and warmth magically lingered on into October. 

Pink Lining & Shoe Therapy merger results in SHOE ENVY - A review

Adj.1. comfy - providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief - 

Yep, that's right, look again... cute aren't they? What you see before you are the new season's must haves, complimenting your look day or night, they are seriously stylish and super comfy - plus they even come with a health benefit thrown in.

To put the Frankie pumps to the test, I wore them to London for the day and walked my socks off. Actually I wasn't wearing any socks, but it didn't matter, for these happen to be the comfiest pair of shoes I've ever slipped on my feet. Don't believe me? It's all true.

Never before have I put on a pair of shoes for the first time, walked miles in them - around the streets of London no less - and still felt like I could walk further at the end of the day. NEVER. So what's the secret?

Growing flowers QVC Watch Them Grow Kit review (2)

A full on nine out of ten parents surveyed this year• said they had happy memories of spending time in the garden as a child.

I have. And I would like my two daughters to have those sorts of memories too.

Growing flowers - QVC Watch Them Grow Kit review (1)

And when the sunflowers they had planted, reached up into the brazenly blue sky beyond, endlessly far away from the children stood rooted beneath them, all with faces upturned, the eldest daughter gasped, her eyes dancing in wonder... 'Can they Mummy? Can they actually reach the land of giants?' 

A probiotic suitable from birth? A review & in-house experiment (3)

So my in-house experiment with the Bio-Kult Infantis Probiotic, somewhat backfired. And I hate to use the word backfired having had babies that only ever had diarrhoea as a consequence of tummy troubles, but with this trial, that's what happened. Frankly, it showed me that pro-biotics cannot help all babies with gut problems.

A probiotic suitable from birth? A review & in-house experiment (2)

You might remember a previous Life As It Is post about Bio-Kult Infantis, a probiotic for infants and children? I was really interested in this product as having had babies with gut problems, I wanted to know if it could help.  

I gave a friend, Andrea, the Bio-Kult Infantis to try with her three-month-old baby Zak, who was unsettled at times with a windy tummy. Here are the results - recorded in the diary she kept throughout the trial. Thank you Andrea - and Zak!

Do you have an itchy baby due to eczema? This website's for you...

You might remember a previous Life As It Is post about Bio-Kult Infantis, a probiotic for infants and children. I was really interested in this product as having had babies with gut problems, I wanted to know if it could help.  

I gave a friend, Andrea, the Bio-Kult Infantis to try with her three-month-old baby Zak, who was unsettled at times with a windy tummy. More on how that all went soon. For now though, I would like to highlight Andrea's fab website itchy baby.co.uk 

Can't concentrate? Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend - a review

Did you know that the brain is around 60% fat? And therefore needs feeding fats - essential fats, Omega 3 particularly. Here's one great way of doing that... 

DETAILS: 
Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend 

PRICE: £21.99 (500ml)

AVAILABLE FROM: Udo's Choice and selected retailers

Can't concentrate? I try an in-house experiment (5)

If you follow Life As It Is, you'll know that back in November of last year, Esme Grace (my fidgety 5YO), was struggling to concentrate. In class this was particularly obvious to the teacher, who then raised it as an issue one parents evening. Esme was unable to focus for long periods of time. Often, she would be in a world of her own;  not listening to what the teacher was saying.

I'd heard that omega 3 could be beneficial in this scenario, and as a result, I wanted to try Esme on a blend of omega oil. I was interested to know if it could help. For more about this, read here and follow the posts Can't concentrate? I try an in-house experiment, of which the last post (4), concludes:

The result of my in-house experiment with Udo's Choice blend of plant omega oils, and my fidgety 5YO is therefore, that this product does indeed have a positive effect on a child's ability to concentrate. It will help your child to sit still and focus for longer periods of time - not to mention the other health benefits it brings. Whacko. As a consequence, I'm putting Sofia on it too. 

When I began Esme on Udo's Choice, it was back in November 2013. As far as I knew, my in-house experiment was one of a kind. How naive of me. Turns out that's not the case at all. Udo's carried out its own study at Lever Park School in Bolton, with remarkable results:

Can't concentrate? I try an in-house experiment (4)

The news from Esme's teacher at the parent conference evening, that Esme (my 5YO) was now able to settle into class of a morning so much better, and remain focused for far longer periods of time, was great to hear.

Yet I was left wondering how much of that was down to the fact that as time had passed, my daughter had settled into her new school year, had settled with her new friends. Not forgetting too, that she had also developed in all areas generally.

I felt I could not be sure it was solely down to the omega oil, and I knew to prove that I'd have to carry out an experiment within an experiment. So I brought Esme off the Udo's Choice oil for six weeks. And guess what? Within four, all the old habits had returned. 

Can't concentrate? I try an in-house experiment (3)

Yesterday, I posted about a probiotic, a windy baby and an in-house experiment. But it's not the first in-house experiment I've carried out. Here I revisit the omega oil trial...

A wee while ago, I set out trialling omega oil to see if it could help with my fidgety five-year-old's concentration levels. Her school day was particularly affected. You can read about that here. 

I had noticed after eight weeks that Esme Grace, having had Udo's choice (an oil which is a blend of plant omegas 3,6 and 9) was far more able to concentrate at home, and things were better in general as she was able to focus for longer periods of time. 

I last visited this experiment here, and was about to find out what Esme's parent evening was going to bring... Had the omega oil made a difference to Esme's school life? She had been finding it difficult to sit still, to listen and to focus on what her teacher was saying. I had seen the difference at home, surely there would be a difference in the classroom too?  I was intrigued to find out...

A probiotic suitable from birth? A review & in-house experiment (1)

After my Cows Milk Allergy Explained post, I've been sent details of a new product that hits the shelves from August, called Bio-Kult Infantis. 

I've found the information very interesting, and have given the product to a friend Andrea, for her three-month-old baby to try. Zak hasn't yet settled, and is very windy with potential allergy issues. It appears to have lots of good stuff in it for babies with problematic guts, which the press release blurb explains below. 

For me, the following par has shed some light as to why Esme Grace (now my vivacious 5YO), had such an unsettled gut as a baby, and was in and out of hospital within her first year. (She was flushed with antibiotics in my womb during labour, and then given ten days of intravenous antibiotics immediately after birth for suspected meningitis).

'As 70% of the immune system is located in the gut a balanced gut flora from birth is essential to stimulate the development of the infant’s immature immune system. A balanced gut flora could help to avoid conditions such as colic, diarrhoea and allergies including eczema, hay fever and food intolerances.'