Vegetables don’t just grow on land; sea vegetables make a tasty and nutritious
Menopause Cake
egg & dairy free
Yes, you read that right – cake, for menopause. This is a time-honoured recipe I learned from working at Tullivers in York. The ingredients provide slow-releasing sugars, essential B-vitamins and minerals, and natural phytoestrogens – plant compounds that help to modulate our fluctuating female hormones.
Eat it daily and tell everyone it’s for medicinal reasons.
Ingredients (makes 2 loaves)
200g wholemeal flour (gluten-free plain flour or buckwheat flour could be substituted for a gluten-free alternative)
100g porridge oats
100g golden flaxseeds
50g sunflower seeds
50g sesame seeds
50g flaked almonds
2 pieces chopped stem ginger
200g raisins
750ml organic soya milk or almond milk
1 tbspn malt extract
1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeng, cinnamon and ground ginger.
Stir together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk and malt extract and leave to soak for 30mins. If the mixture is very stiff, add more soya or almond milk. Spoon the mixture into 2 lightly oiled and lined loaf tins and bake at 190*C/375F/gas mark 5 for about 75mins or until cooked through. Turn out and leave to cool.
Enjoy!
You might also enjoy…
Ginger pickle to aid digestion
How do I know if I’m perimenopausal?
Your 5 Step Christmas Survival Guide!
The Christmas ‘to-do’ list is a mile long, presents are waiting to be wrapped and you’ve just found out a gluten-free vegan is coming for lunch. All feelings of peace and joy have rapidly evaporated – what can you do to cope with festive stresses?
Let’s look at 5 top tips for coping with Christmas:
- Stress: This is a particularly tough time of year for anyone suffering with depression or bereavement. The pressures of work and managing big family gatherings also ramp up the stress levels. Magnesium and B-vitamins are fantastic for soothing your nervous system; green leafy vegetables, cashew nuts, mushrooms and brown rice are all good sources. Bathing in Epsom salts is a traditional remedy and a great way to absorb magnesium through your skin! Add in a few drops of lavender oil too, then lie back and soak for a good 20 minutes.
- Overindulgence: indigestion can be incredibly painful – even mistaken for a heart attack in severe cases! Chamomile and fennel teas are wonderfully soothing for sore or upset stomachs and can relieve painful trapped wind. Milk thistle offers herbal support for liver function and easing hangovers – do check with your healthcare practitioner before taking any herbal remedies alongside prescription medications though.
- Special diets: you’re hosting a Christmas party and suddenly realise several guests are gluten and dairy free – what can they eat? Panic not, healthfood stores like Tullivers in York and Goodness Direct online now offer a full range of festive treats designed to meet specific dietary needs including gluten-free gravy granules, oat cream, soya cream, rice flour for making pastry, dairy free chocolate advent calendars and gluten-free Christmas puddings.
- Colds and flu: ‘tis the season to be jolly unless you’re struck down with a virus! Homemade chicken and vegetable soup is a fantastic immune booster. Broccoli, peppers, kiwi fruit, mushrooms and sweet potatoes are all packed with antioxidant nutrients that help us fight off bugs. Top up your vitamin D with an oral spray supplement and keep some manuka honey to hand for making honey and lemon drinks to soothe croaky throats and coughs.
- Headaches; stuffy atmospheres, stress, alcohol, sugary foods and dehydration can all trigger headaches. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, pace yourself with sweet treats and make time for a relaxing Epsom salt bath to ease tense neck and shoulder muscles.
- One extra tip from personal experience….I once had bad flu over Christmas, it was rotten but made me realise that the world doesn’t end if you don’t send cards or presents or make it to parties. Friends and family still love you and thats all that matters!
Wishing you a Happy & Healthy Christmas 🙂
(This article is adapted from a column I wrote for York Press 1/12/2014)
6 Tasty Foods To Ease Joint Pains
Running, swimming, tennis, football….all are fun until the moment injury strikes or you overdo it with the training!
Joint-nourishing foods can easily be incorporated into meals and snacks to support and improve strength, stamina and recovery from both training and injuries.
Try these 6 tasty choices: 
1. Cherries: Montmorency cherries are packed with anthocyanins, natural antioxidant compounds which have been proven to reduce inflammation and soreness, and aid muscle recovery after training. Add ‘CherryActive’ to your post workout smoothie for a muscle boost!
2. Beetroot: this vibrant root vegetable is rich in nitric oxide, a natural compound that encourages circulation, increases stamina and maintains healthy blood pressure. Many sports teams (including the 2010 England Rugby squad!) include shots of beetroot juice in their training regimes 7-14 days before an event. Of course you can use it every day if you wish! Drink raw beetroot juice for maximum benefit and try adding a little apple or carrot juice if the taste is a bit ‘earthy’ for you.
3. Oily fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines, herrings, trout and pilchards are all packed with anti-inflammatory Omega 3 oils – perfect for both mind and body. For all you athletic vegetarians and vegans, flax oil is a fantastic source of omega-3 essential fats. It musn’t be heated up but tastes great drizzled over porridge or a baked potato or blended in a smoothie.
4. Spirulina: this microscopic cyanobacteria grows on freshwater lakes all over the world. It contains 22 amino acids, vital for muscle function and repair alongside anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients. Like beetroot, it has a slightly ‘earthy’ taste but blends well with apple juice, dried fruits or in a banana smoothie.
5. Turmeric: the golden spice has the pain killing and anti-inflammatory effects of over the counter NSAID’s but without the nasty side effects. Add generous amounts to homemade curries!
6. Ginger: another anti-inflammatory and warming spice, grated ginger with hot water and lemon juice is a perfect way to start the day and give your sore, dehydrated muscles a boost.
Questions? Thoughts? Want to find out if a personalised Nutrition Plan can get you running that extra mile?
Drop me a line via the Contact Form or pop over to the ‘Nutrition in York’ Facebook Page and ask away 🙂
Keep Sugar Cravings at Bay!
Removing refined sugary foods from your meals and snacks can revolutionise your energy levels, mood balance, concentration and sleep patterns. Quitting the white stuff can be tough though. It is important to look at why you are craving sugar in the first place:
Let’s focus on the top 3 reasons…
1. Skipping breakfast and not eating regularly; this means your body has to produce extra stress hormones in order to mobilise stored sugars and keep your energy up. Long term, this puts strain on your adrenal glands, pancreas and liver. Eating a balanced healthy breakfast including good quality protein and natural slow releasing sugars provides a steady supply of fuel to last you till lunchtime.
Good options include:
- poached eggs, spinach and oatcakes
- porridge with added seeds, nuts and fresh berries
- or if you’re pushed for time, a homemade smoothie packed with fruit, ground seeds nut butter and milk.
2. Relying on caffeinated drinks and sugary snacks; sharp spikes in sugar intake give a rush of energy which is always followed by a deep slump where you feel even worse than before! Gradually cut down on caffeinated drinks and replace these with water, herb teas and green tea. Green tea does still contain caffeine but this stimulative effect is counterbalanced by an amino acid called theanine which has a calming effect on the brain, boosting mental clarity and concentration. Snack options include fruit and nut mixes, crudités with houmous or bean dips and brown rice cakes with nut butter. These ideas combine protein with carbohydrates which provides a steady release of sugar into your bloodstream thereby avoiding spikes and slumps.