Health Kick: Parsley Tea

I will soon be starting a detox plan, eek! I'm both dreading it and looking forward to it. On the one hand  I really need this but on the other hand I don't want to give up all the crap that I eat and drink ;)

I thought I'd practise making parsley tea (and to see if it was actually drinkable!) and it's simple to make and doesn't taste too bad even though I would much prefer to drink water...

But there are plenty of reasons to drink parsley tea!

• It contains a powerful antioxidant which helps to eradicate those nasty free radicals.
• The recipe below will provide you with around 17% of your daily vitamin C needs, helping you to reduce your chances of developing cancer and diabetes.
• Speaking of cancer, studies believe that it's possible that one of the oils found in parsley activates an enzyme which protects the body by neutralising carcinogens. 
• Parsley is also thought to be able to fight cancer due to its power to block the proteins which stimulate cells to reproduce.

If you'd like to try making parsley tea yourself, just follow these super easy steps...

• Drop 2 heaped tablespoons of chopped parsley leaves into a large jug.
• Add 500ml of boiling water, cover and leave to stand for ten minutes. 
• Strain, cool and keep covered in the fridge until it's time to enjoy it :)

Hannah xo

Health Kick: The truth about mobile phones?

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I just watched a rather scary documentary about the possible effects of electromagnetic radiation on our bodies and the world around us. The collapse of bee colonies, an increase in cancers and diseases and a whole host of other negative trends have been linked to an ever-increasing number of mobile phones, wireless telephones and the phone masts which now seem to be popping up everywhere (you can check out your home town's mast count here).

Here are a few interesting things I learnt from this documentary:

• Everything in the world has a natural electromagnetic frequency and it just so happens that a human's frequency is exactly the same as the Earth's natural frequency. Coincidence? I think not!
• Melatonin is our most powerful antioxidant which is produced at night when we sleep. Even a tiny bit of light can stop the production process and leave our melatonin levels looking less than satisfactory. I think I'll start wearing my eye mask while sleeping now...
• Living near a phone mast appears to highly increase your chances of developing cancer as a small town found out to their horror. 
• Mobile phone radiation levels are tested by using an 'average size' model skull, which does not take into account the effect on a 9 year-olds brain which is now the average age a child gains their first phone.
• Many of the reports and research carried out on harmful effects of radiation from mobile phones are being funded by the telecommunications industry themselves. Scientists feel pressure to conform to their employer's wishes and so many of these results can not be completely trusted. 

One thing that is crystal clear is that much more research needs to be done into the harmful effects our modern technology is having on the natural world and the ways in which we can cut down or altogether stop these effects. 

You HAVE to watch this! I'd love to hear what you think.

Hannah xo

Health Kick: Hot Lemon Water

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Lately I've been hearing many positive things about having a cup of hot water and a slice of lemon first thing in the morning. So, I decided to try it for myself and build it into my daily morning routine! This sounds easy, except the first thing I crave in the morning is a cup of tea and a spoonful of sugar... And as I'm usually not really awake at that point, I have a hard time reaching for anything other than the teabags. So I decided to list the benefits I've heard about here, hopefully they'll creep into my subconsciousness :)

• Lemons are packed with vitamin C, which just so happens to be one of the first casualties of stress. Hot lemon water will help build up those C levels again ready for whatever the day decides to throw at you. 
• Vitamin C also boosts your immune system, helping you to ward off cold and flu. 
• Lemons contain potassium, important in controlling blood pressure and encouraging brain and nerve function. 
• Pectin fibre helps fight hunger cravings, aiding in weight loss. Lemons are full of it. 
• Vitamin C has skin-cleansing properties and is said to decrease wrinkles and blemishes. It also clears toxins from the blood. In fact, lemon juice can be directly applied to scars to reduce their appearance. 
• Helps cleanse the body of unwanted materials and aids the liver in making bile which is needed for digestion. 
• Lemons help to balance the body's overall acidity, they are very much an alkaline fruit.
• It is a breath freshener and can help in relieving tooth ache and gum disease.
• It will save you from drinking at least one cup of coffee each day ;)
• .... And it helps remove coffee stains from mugs!

And so I have stated my case in favour of hot water and lemon! However, there is one thing to be weary of when starting this new routine of mine... Lemon juice is very good at eroding tooth enamel so it is very important that you brush your teeth after drinking your lemon!

So boil your water, slice a lemon and squeeze the slice into your mug. Drop the slice in and fill with hot water and voila! You have yourself a great kick-start for the day :)

Hannah xo