Gospel Gourmet.

Let me start by admitting that I’m exaggerating with the title here. This is neither Gospel, nor is it Gourmet. But it is food, and it was inspired by the Bible, so that’s got to count, right?  We’ll call it blogger’s license and leave it at that.

As we continue working our way through the unit on Trust, we’re studying the life of Elijah and how he clearly modeled faith in God. Konos recommends using well-written biographies of the characters being studied to help children learn about them in a deeper and more permanent way than a single paragraph on Wikipedia might offer. I’ve struggled to find good biographies that I can read to my girls as Family Reading books. Granted, I’ve only looked in our local library, and that could be the reason behind the struggle. However, I love to write. The girls both would like to write to some degree some day, and certainly need all the practise they can get. So I considered, and decided that if we wrote our own biographies, we’d learn so much:

• Lots about the character in question.


• Lots about the process of writing a story.


• Lots about actually writing: grammar, spelling, sentence construction etc.

And I’d let them illustrate the books, of course, so there’s Art, too.

We’re starting with Elijah. Instead of a quick overview we’re studying his life in depth, making notes, creating spider diagrams … it’s fun! One of the stories we read this week was about Elijah staying with the widow who has only a small jar of oil and a handful of flour left before she and her son would expire. Elijah encouraged her to use that to make a cake – for him! And another for her and her son, of course. And he promised that the flour and oil wouldn’t run out, which it didn’t. I loved how Elijah trusted and obeyed God without question, and how the widow trusted and obeyed Elijah without question. In each case, they did not surrender their ability to reason, nor their autonomy and self-respect. They simply obeyed, and were immensely blessed for it!

Interestingly, we were in a similarly frugal state as I was reading that so I was inspired to try my hand at a similar kind of “cake” for the kids’ lunch. I cheated a it by adding a little milk, some water (there was a drought in the story, remember?), some herbs, salt, and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top. (Yes, I do see the irony of having Parmesan in the fridge when we’ve used up the bread, but there were Extenuating Circumstances). I am hopeless at pancakes so I crafted some herby crumpets and the girls loved them! They really enjoyed seeing what the food could have been like, as well as just really enjoying the taste, too.

It actually led me to another train of thought about Bible food, but I’ll cover that somewhere else, I think.

The recipe is here.

Cost-cutting cuisine

For as long as I can remember I have loved healthy food and been fanatical about nutrition. I think two key things contributed to this in my formative years. The first was that my brother has cystic fibrosis and so a lot of our early years revolved around what he could or couldn’t do or eat, where he could or couldn’t go, and so on. We knew a lot more about healthy nutrition at that age than any of our peers.

Secondly, our family has a colourful and diverse range of allergies and intolerances, so growing up involved a lot of careful juggling around what would fill us, taste good and not kill us! (That’s an exaggeration, you understand).

In my adult years I have become heavily dependent on truly brilliant supplementsthat keep us healthy and well (not just “not sick”). So much so, in fact, that I even share these great supplements with anyone who wants them, and after seeing the phenomenal turn around in our family’s health, that list includes pretty much most of the people we know.

Even so, however, good nutrition is about more than just popping pills. It’s also about what we do put into our bodies, and what we don’t. That’s why I try so hard to feed my family good, balanced, nutritious, low GI meals and healthy snacks as much as possible. We usually have masses of fruit in the house, and if there are biscuits I try to keep them low GI, gluten free, dairy free ones. Where possible I replace sugar with xylitol or honey.

The more I think about it, the more it seems like it would be a good idea to share some of my adventures here, on my blog. I am no Nigella, and not even much of a run-of-the-mill domestic goddess. Most of my meals fail on presentation, but at least they’re USUALLY delicious and almost always nutritious. Not to mention being super-affordable, which is key right now.

Here’s tonight’s offering:

Pasta with Lentil Mush (title needs work; suggestions welcome).

Slowly heat red lentils with salt and Italian herbs until very soft. Drain.
Cook gluten-free pasta to taste.
Roast some vegetables in the oven. Broccoli and courgettes work very well for this, as do carrots and beans.
Finely chop a large onion and braise until soft and transparent/golden, then add 2 chopped tomatoes, a coupe of peeled and chopped carrots, some ginger and some garlic (to taste).Add the lentils and mix well. Mix in the roasted veggies (try to get some of their “veggie juice”, too – yummy!).
When this mixture is thoroughly smooshy, add some good quality tomato sauce (rich in lycopene, an essential antioxidant).
You may want a little more tomato sauce for the colour.
Serve the lentil mixture on the pasta – hot!

We added Nando’s hot chilli sauce for the grown ups because a) Chillis are a good source of capsaicin, which is good for nasal and chest problems, and induces feelings of happiness as a result of the release of endorphines, and b) We love it! The girls had their’s neat.

Everyone said it tasted great. DH even had seconds … I don’t know if he actuallyrealised he was eating lentils!

I’d share a picture but we ate it all, sorry about that  .

The great thing about this meal is that it is full of goodness and low on cost. Seriously, we all have onions and lentils in the cupboard right? You can make anything with those two items alone. Kinda …

On a side note, don’t stint on tomato sauce. I know we’re all on budgets here, but a good tomato sauce is an awesome and worthwhile investment. The antioxidants are great for the whole family and many kids eat anything when it’s disguised in a tomato sauce super-hero cloak. The problem is that a cheap, synthetic tomato sauce is so bad for your family it would be better to feed the kids fries than to disguise broccoli in that swill.  I’m just saying.

Do you get your 14-a-day?

Did you know that people who get enough carotenoids in their diet every day are easy to spot. Their lives are characterised by:

• Reduced likelihood of cancer because of an increased protection from cell damage.


• Improved recovery time after illness.


• Far lower incidence of cataracts.


• Enhanced immunity which results in fewer illnesses and infections.


• Reduced LDL cholesterol means a lower incidence of heart disease.


• Improved recovery from heart-related complications if they occur.


• Average increase in lifespan.

Fantastic! Where can I get carotenoids?

Carotenoids are found in the yellow, red and orange foods in our diet, and in dark green leafy vegetables like Spinach. However, in order to get the quantity of good quality carotenoids from our diet alone, scientists tell us we’d have to be eating as many as 14 servings a day of these foods.

What can be done about that?
Supplementing our diets with good quality, high-potency wholefood sources of carotenoids is the only solution to achieve optimal health. GNLD’s Carotenoid Complex is a world-leader. In an independent study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), supplementing an adult diet with GNLD’s patented Carotenoid Complex for just 20 days improved immunity by an average of 37%!
(Study conducted by US Dept. of Agriculture, reported in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 65 No.3 – Read it here.)

Furthermore, GNLD’s Carotenoid Complex has been shown to curb oxidation damage to cells by 44%.
(Study presented at experimental meeting of Biologists, Washington DC, 1996)

The USDA report also demonstrated a 20% boost in natural killer cells, your first line of defence against cancer, and a marked decrease in LDL cholesterol, leading to improved heart health.

What is oxidation damage and why should I be concerned?

In an article posted recently on WebMD, researcher Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston explained the process of oxidation. ”Oxidation is a very natural process that happens during normal cellular functions,” he said. However, this process has it’s flaws. While the body usuallymetabolises oxygen very efficiently, up to 2% of cells get damaged during the process and turn into free radicals. The term “free radical” describes a molecule that is missing a critical component. This sends it on a destructive rampage to pair with another molecule and find that component. Then any molecule that can potentially meet the need is targeted.

The problem with free radical damage is that cells aren’t simply killed in order to replace the missing molecule. If this were the case, the human body is highly adept at replacing damaged cells and could easily make a new one. The targeted cell is often injured, damaging the DNA, and creating a breeding ground for disease. When the cell is damaged in this way it becomes mutated, and grows – often quickly. As a result, the body’s immunity is compromised and the individual becomes much more susceptible to infection, illness, immune disorders and cancer.

Daily Cruciferous Plus: your first line of defence against cancer

Cruciferous vegetables (also known as Brassicaceae) include cauliflower, cress, bok choy, cabbage, broccoli and similar green leaf vegetables. They derive their name from the shape of their flowers, whose four petals form a cross, or crucifix. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that 3,3?-diindolylmethane in these vegetables is a strong protector against prostatecancer. Even though the American Cancer Society advises adults to eat at least one serving of antioxidant cruciferous vegetables every day, most of us only eat one serving a week, if that.

Active elements in cruciferous vegetables

• support healthy breast and prostate tissue;


• maintain health levels of hormones;


• support healthy tissue growth throughout the body (inhibiting the action of cancer cells).

Ick! Brussels Sprouts! How can I get enough cruciferous to protect me from cancer, without eating food I don’t like every day?

A balanced diet is vitally important, and the Vision Team actively support healthy eating. It is crucial that you do the best you can to ensure that you and your family eat a healthy, balanced diet, rich in whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, and healthy oils. Even so, however, it can be difficult to include as much of the good stuff in your diet as you need.

This is why we supplement our diets, and when we’re considering how to improve our health with supplements, it stands to reason that only the very best will do. GNLD’s high-purity, high-potency Cruciferous Plus nutritional supplement supplies the complete antioxidant phytonutrients in one optimal serving of cruciferous vegetables, as well as related phytonutrients. GNLD products contain no artificial colors, flavours, preservatives, or sweeteners.

What a great way to protect your body AND your taste buds!

Get your Cruciferous Plus today from our store.

Pump iron

Chelated iron supplements hold the key to addressing iron deficiency without the harmful side effects.

For centuries, scientists, philoophers and doctors of all kinds have prescribed iron as a cure for just about every ailment known to man. As early as the 1700s, iron was found to be a vital component of blood, and used as a treatment for anaemia. Iron is a trace mineral essential for human health. Unfortunately, iron is very poorly absorbed by the human body with as much as 95% of our iron intake being eliminated.

However, the iron that is absorbed is very efficiently used within the body. The body’s iron supply isn’t depleted or destroyed – it is used and reused. Minute amounts of iron are lost through physical activity and menstruation, and this needs to be replaced regularly.

Iron is found in our diets in meat, legumes, dates, nuts, spinach, apricots, tofu, rice, oatmeal and other foods. Alarmingly, modern food processing techniques and decreased soil richness have resulted in adecline in the iron content of our food. Surprisingly, the growing tendency not to use iron cook ware has also impacted the quantity of iron we take in on a regular basis.

Why do we need iron?

Iron functions primarily as a component of haemoglobin, the coloured substance in red blood cells. Haemoglobin and iron transport oxygen from the lungs to the  cells. There oxygen is used to sustain life. In muscle cells, oxygen forms part of a chemical reaction that cause contraction. Iron is also present in the enzymes that digest protein.

Iron deficiency – a global trend
Around the globe there has been an alarming increase in iron deficiency symptoms, which include:

• lack of energy or tiredness;


• extreme fatigue and a feeling of weakness;


• light-headedness;


• decreased concentration, inability to focus and trouble completing tasks;


• headaches;


• pale skin on the lining of the eyes, the inner mouth and the nails;


• rapid and forceful heartbeat;


• low blood pressure with position change from sitting to standing up;


• finger nails that become thin, brittle and white – they may grow abnormally and get a spoon-shaped appearance;


• tongue may become sore, smooth and reddened;


• decrease in appetite;


• shortness of breath during exercise;


• brittle hair;


• reduction in immunity and increased vulnerability to infection;


• a strong desire to eat nonfoods such as ice, paint or dirt (a condition called Pica);


• disturbed sleep;


• abdominal pain.

Depression and uncharacteristic impatience may also point to an iron deficiency. Studies show that more than 55% of all children are iron deficient.

But I’ve heard iron supplements can cause health complications. Is that true?

There has been scientific and anecdotal evidence of side effects to taking oral iron supplements, especially when taken by very young children in large quantities. These symptoms include:

• Digestive difficulties;


• Abdominal pain and cramping;


• Constipation and diarrhoea;


• Heartburn;


• Nausea;


• Vomiting;


• Blackened stools.

How can a health supplement be harmful, and what can I do about my iron deficiency?
First of all, ALWAYS ensure that your children’s supplement intake is carefullymonitored. Never allow children to administer their own nutritional supplements: they are too young to be given that responsibility and the results of doing so can be severe.  Treat nutritional supplements as medicine and keep them far out of reach of children.

The symptoms described above are the result of poor absorption of iron into the body. GNLD’s Chelated Iron has been bonded to specially selected amino acids in a 2:1 ratio during a process known as chelation, which ensures maximum absorption. Each tablet contains 25mg of iron, the ideal amount for adults. We recommend breaking a tablet in two for children under the age of 12.

Vitamin C has been shown to have a dramatic effect on the uptake of iron in the body, improving absorption from both supplements and food sources. Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant component of GNLD’s Carotenoid Complex.

Order yours today from our store.

Bone Idle

Calcium-Magnesium supplements: not just a “Lady Thing”

By the time a woman reaches her 50s, she has a 50% chance of being struck by the illness. 90% of ladiesaged 75 and older are affected. And as the figures above show, men are becoming affected at a far more frequent rate than has been the case in the past.

It should come as a relief, then, to know that osteoporosis is easily preventable. However, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, studies have shown that the average woman consumes less than 500mg of calcium per day – less than half the recommended daily intake. Preventing osteoporosis starts in childhood (if not before).  Bones are living tissue, and the skeleton grows continually from birth to the end of the teen years, reaching a maximum strength and size (peak bone mass) in early adulthood, around the mid-20s. After that, we gradually lose bone tissue. By age 35, we lose an average of 1% of our bone massevery year. For 5 – 10 years after reaching menopause, women lose a 2 – 5% of bone loss per year. That adds up to 20 – 23% bone loss over the course of a man’s lifetime; 40 – 50% bone loss over the course of awoman’s life time.

Children and adolescents should:

• Make sure their nutrition meets the daily calcium requirements of their bodies (1200mg of calciumfor teenage girls: that’s about 4 full glasses of milk).


• Avoid undernutrition and protein malnutrition. Being underweight increase the risk of osteoporosis in later life by almost 100%! (For improved nutrition and complete protein, takeFormula IV Plus and Nutrishake – the perfect solution for your entire family).


• Ensure that they get enough Vitamin D in their diets and through exposure to the sun. (Formula IV Plus contains an optimal daily dose of Vitamin D).


• Participate in regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes of exercise three times per week).


• Avoid smoking (well, let’s just say it: don’t smoke at all. It’s bad for you, your friends, the environment – and please save your children if the other reasons don’t appeal!)


• Limit alcohol consumption, or avoid alcohol altogether.

The same is true of adults, who should also take part in stress-reducing activities, such as breathing exercises, physical activity and hobbies that relax the mind, since stress has been implicated in calcium deficiency. Stress of any kind can affect the level of calcium in the body. The most probable cause of this is its affect on the adrenal glands and glucose metabolism. Stress can increase blood sugar through the action of cortisol, which leads to reduced sugar tolerance. Vitamin B has been shown to be extremely effective in improving the body’s response to stress.

We cannot have a single nerve impulse, or even a thought, without calcium. Our bodies need calcium every day to

• regulate our heartbeats;


• contract our muscles;


• build bone tissue;


• reduce blood pressure;


• reduce the risk of colon cancer;


• work with Vitamin C to form collagen;


• assist with the digestion of protein.

How can I get the calcium I need each day? What if I’m lactose-intolerant and can’t have milk?

GNLD’s Cal-Mag is the ideal solution. Containing the complete amount of calcium for optimal nutrition, Cal-Mag meets the entire family’s requirements. For calcium to be adequately absorbed by the body it needs to be held in suspension bymagnesium. Magnesium also supports connective tissue such as tendons, hairand the reflexes. Magnesium aids the thyroid in manufacturing a hormone thatregulates the heartbeat. It regulates breathing. Pregnant mothers who take magnesium supplements during pregnancy have been shown to have infants and young children with fewer breathing-related concerns in their early years.

In addition to bonding the calcium to magnesium, GNLD’s unique chelation process binds the mineral molecules to two amino acids in a 2:1 ratio that ensure bioavailability, meaning that you get the maximum possible absorption of thishigh-purity calcium supplement.

For optimal bone health and stress reduction, regular exercise is essential. Studies show that at least 30 minutes of exercise three times a week improve bone density and overall health and well-being significantly.

Read the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s comprehensive article on bone health and the importance of optimal nutrition, Bone Appetit.

* Cooper C, Campion G, Melton LJ 3rd. Hip fractures in the elderly: a world-wide projection. Osteoporos Int. 1992 Nov;2(6):285-9.

** Gullberg B, Johnell O, Kanis JA. Worldwide projections for hip fracture. Osteoporosis Int. 1997;7:407-13.

Disclaimer.

Beat colds and ‘flu

Protect your children this winter with the potency of GNLD’s All C chewable Vitamin C tablets

As the icy Winter wind blows away the last of the colourful Autumn leaves, and tress stand naked against the elements, our thoughts inevitably turn towards our health and that of our children. How can we keep those pesky colds and debilitating flu bugs at bay?

Your first port of call in a winter flu storm is Vitamin C. GNLD’s chewable All C with NeoPlex concentrate contains the complete phytonutrient spectrum of whole oranges. This means you get Vitamin C the way nature intended you to. We’ve added valuable phytonutrients from rosehips (download a tasty rosehip jam recipe here), acerola cherries and other whole food sources, so that you get the maximum possible value in each Vitamin C tablet.

One delicious All C chewable tablet provides the nutritional equivalent of four whole, freshly picked oranges. GNLD uses each element you’d find in a freshly grown orange (except the water) to enhance the absorption of Vitamin C in your body – without the chapped lips you’d get from actually eating four whole oranges in one sitting!

Great tasting, easy to chew and swallow, and nutritionally complete, your kids will love their daily dose of Vitamin C – and so will you!

GNLD takes health seriously. Every product they manufacture has been researched by the best scientific minds in the world, and the research never stops! What’s more, all nutritional supplement ingredients are sourced purely from whole food sources – and the best quality whole foods, at that. What does that mean for you and your family? Well, basically, if it’s not a food people normally eat, it’s not considered a source of ingredients for GNLD’s nutritional product range. It’s as simple as that. Get yours today in our store. (Read more about whole food sources here).