Happy Allotments

23/08/2023

02/09/2022

“Nature itself is the best physician.” -Hippocrates

02/09/2022

7 Preservatives That No One Can Pronounce and Why You Don’t Need Them

Gone are the days of universally organic grown foods that were free from additives, preservatives, and strange chemicals. Though organically grown foods can still be found today, they are not as common as they used to be or should be.

The 7 Most Common Preservatives That You Can Do Without
1. Ammonium Sulfate: This preservative is most often found in bread, but it is also found in cleaning supplies and garden fertilizers.
2. L-Cysteine: This preservative is made from human hair or duck feathers. Though it seems crazy, it is considered a natural protein as it can be digested as an amino acid. L-Cysteine is found in bread, cookie dough, and several other products.
3. Butylated Hydroxanisole: Commonly referred to as BHA, this preservative is used as an antioxidant to keep foods, medicines, and animal feed from going bad. Unfortunately, some research suggests that it can lead to cancer in both humans and animals.
4. Sodium Benzoate: This preservative is found in various foods and liquids such as vinegar, soft drinks, juices, and even hamburgers. However, it is also found in fireworks. This preservative is widely thought to be a carcinogen and can wreak havoc on the cells, depriving them of needed oxygen and nutrients. You certainly don’t need that in your body.
5. Butylated Hydroxytoluene: Similar to BHA, BHT is another food preservative used to keep foods from going bad. However, this preservative is also found in products like cosmetics, rubber, and embalming fluid. Yikes….
6. Sodium Nitrite: Sodium nitrite is used to preserve meat products—think bacon, lunch meats, and beef jerky. This preservative prevents the growth of bacteria on packaged meats and promotes the retention of its red color. It also adds a salty flavor to the meats. No!!!!!
7. Titanium Dioxide: Though this chemical is used to block UV rays and protect your skin when in the sun, it is also found in many common food products. Milk, frosting, coffee creamer, and salad dressings all contain titanium dioxide as a whitening additive. Leave this out…….

01/09/2022

Black Garlic 101: Nature's Super Food

Black garlic is not well known compared to white garlic but it has similar benefits. Its flavor is complex with a mixture of sweet and savory flavor. It tastes a lot like molasses but has an obvious garlicky flavor.

Its texture is jelly-like so that it can melt in your mouth like a dried fruit. It tastes great and can be used in any recipe that also uses white garlic.

It was just introduced to the food market a few years ago in Korean cooking although you can buy black garlic that is grown in California at a health food store.

Choose organic black garlic that doesn’t contain pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Black garlic is garlic that has been fermented for about a month with strictly controlled conditions of humidity and heat. Like white garlic, it has many health benefits.

Health Benefits of Black Garlic

S allyl cysteine

By fermenting garlic for a month to get black garlic, you create a type of super garlic. The main compound you want to be concerned with is S allyl cysteine, which is a natural part of garlic and a type of cysteine, an amino acid. This compound is found in higher concentrations when compared to white garlic and is believed to decrease cancer risk and keep the cholesterol levels low.

Antimicrobial, Antifungal, And Antibiotic Properties

Like white garlic, black garlic has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibiotic properties because of a natural ingredient known as allicin. The S allyl cysteine in black garlic helps absorb the allicin so it is more easily metabolized and so it has better infection-fighting properties.

Antioxidants To Fight Disease

Black garlic is also high in antioxidants—about two times the antioxidant abilities of regular garlic. Antioxidants fight oxygen free radicals to keep the cells safe from damage and to keep the body from aging.

Black garlic is a potent substance whose antioxidant properties are believed to extend to the support of the heart, the brain (against Alzheimer’s disease), rheumatoid diseases, certain chronic diseases, and circulation difficulties.

According to Taoist myth, black garlic was believed to extend life. While it doesn’t confer immortality, it is extremely healthy for you. Its antioxidant properties alone are superior to white garlic so you might want to use it instead of white garlic for dishes that call for garlic.

Characteristics of Black Garlic

Because black garlic is fermented, it doesn’t have the strong odor and powerful flavor or regular garlic so it is easier to eat and more appealing to people who don’t like white garlic. It tastes a lot like dried fruit, with a sweet and smoky flavor.

It is somewhat chewy in texture but can be cut up like white garlic. When you take in white garlic, you can’t get away from the smell of garlic breath, even in capsules.

Black garlic has no strong odor or flavor when compared to white garlic so that it can be eaten in larger quantities without having to face the strong flavor and odor of white garlic.

Unlike raw white garlic, black garlic lacks the annoyance of its strong flavor and smell. It is like a fine wine that only gets better with age. It can be used in any type of recipe that also uses white garlic but it won’t be as strong.

Black Garlic Nutrition Facts

A serving of black garlic is about 15 grams or slightly under an ounce.
Each serving size contains:

• 40 calories
• 0 sodium
• 0 Fat
• 8 grams of carbohydrates (4 grams of sugar)
• 3 grams of fiber
• 0 cholesterol
• 2% of the recommended daily allowances of iron based on a 2000-calorie diet

31/08/2022

Probiotics 101

The Bacteria In Your Gut

According to Healthline, every human being has between 39-300 trillion bacteria living within their body. Most of these trillions reside in your gut, and actually help with the digestive process.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are a certain type of bacteria which has been known to help the human body and these are what are referred to as the bacteria in your gut. These bacteria are living organisms which continue to live in your digestive system after ingestion.

These bacteria can be found in supplements, as well as in foods prepared with certain methods of fermentation, such as the process when dough rises using yeast.
Taking Probiotics
If you are struggling with weight loss, or other digestive disease, maybe it’s time to discuss with your doctor if using probiotics to boost your gut flora is for you. You may just be surprised by what a little bacteria can do.

Although it can be tempting to take a probiotic supplement, medical professionals all agree it is better to get your probiotics from foods rather than a pill. The best foods for getting the probiotics to help your gut are yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

The Benefits Of Probiotics

Taking probiotics not only helps keep your body in balance, but it can also help prevent and cure a number of diseases such as IBS, Chron’s Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis.

Besides just preventing and assisting with disease, research by the National Institute of Health shows that having proper gut flora has a huge impact on your risk factors to becoming obese as an adult. So, if you are struggling on your weight loss journey, it may be worthwhile to discuss introducing some probiotics into your diet with your doctor.

31/08/2022

10 Health Benefits of Pure Acai Berries

Berries of any kind are considered healthy for you. Acai berries are particularly healthy and should be part of your everyday diet.

The acai berry we refer to is not the same as the over-hyped and misleading acai berry weight loss craze proliferating the Internet – “Lose 10 pounds in 10 days with Acai!"

This is a berry that has been found to help with health issues related to oxidative stress in the body among other things.

Here are ten health benefits from eating acai berries:

1. For a Healthy Heart. Acai berries are a lot like red wine in that they have a high anthocyanin amount, which is a plant antioxidant that can lessen the cholesterol count in the body.
2. Keep away bad organisms. Extract of acai may be able to stop the growth of bad organisms like bacteria and fungi.

3. Help in weight loss. This may help us lose weight and keep it off. The pulp from the berry seems to have the ability to counteract the bad effects of a high fat diet in animal studies.

4. Helps skin health.
5. Aids in digestion.
6. Lessens irritation.
7. Better cellular health.
8. Helps the immune system.
9. Effects against aging.
10. Energy booster. The acai berry, because it benefits the body in so many ways, can increase overall energy and improve your stamina.

Besides the ten listed ways acai berries can help you, they may improve blood circulation in the body so that your s*x drive can improve and there will be less impotence and a boost in libido as well.
In addition, acai berries may help prevent the mental imbalance seen in perimenopausal women.
Getting “Pure” Acai
The main problem with getting acai is that the acai powder and other acai products sold in stores are typically mixed with fillers that decrease its nutritional value.
It is critical to find only 100% genuine, filler-free Acai berry, that contains for flow agents, no excipients, and no other extras.

01/08/2022

Reflexology Pressure Point Map:
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12/02/2022

Melting Hearts.

12/02/2022

27/01/2022

Like us on IG and claim your free bath salt blend sample! The blends are constructed from 3 essentials oils and epsom salts. each satchet is 20grams and contains approx 0.2ml of essential oil. Could be used in the bath or in foot spas.

1)May Chang/Bergamot/Grapefruit
2)Basil/Citronella/Jasmine
3)Vanilla/Fleur Du Orange
4)Star Anise/Lemon/Blackpepper
5)Cypress/Grapefruit/Geranium
6)Rosewood/orange /Ylang ylang
7)Citonella /Basil/Cedarwood
8) Cypress /Grapefruit/Geranium
9) Patchouli Lemon/Clary Sage
10) Mandarin/Marjoram/Nutmeg

Some blends contain St Johns Wort , Dried Jasmine, Rose Petal and Lavender Grain.

ALL Essential oils are from UK based company Nikura.

Free P&P (or Collect from Bristol)

Only 100 Samples Available

Perfection is Second to Progression

02/12/2021

15/10/2021

Saved some for the pixies....