Eat these instead of potatoes, if you suffer arthritis
Sweet potatoes are a good substitute for normal potatoes. Sweet potatoes GI and GL are lower than a normal potato. Rich source of beta-carotene, vitamin C and E all very good anti-aging antioxidants. They are easy to digest, have anti-inflammatory properties, help heal ulcers and improve circulation. The properties in sweet potatoes bind to heavy metals and remove them from the body.
The other benefit to sweet potatoes is that they do not belong to the ‘deadly night shade’ family like the ordinary potato that can increase aches and pains in those are susceptible to arthritic type conditions.
Baked Sweet Potato
These are the orange flesh variety, wash and pierce the skin, place in a baking dish, drizzle with a little garlic or chilli or rosemary oil, and cover. Bake in the oven for about an hour, or so depending on their size.
Nutrients – Vitamin B6, C, E, beta-carotene, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber.
Read MoreCarrots are particularly good for the liver
Most people like carrots, another vegetable that is particularly good for the liver. An excellent detoxification food.
Anything that encourages the liver will ultimately help the whole system to function better. This vegetable is more effective when eaten raw like most fruit and vegetables, as cooking carrots increases their GI rating quite a lot. Carrots can be grated into a salad or cut into sticks to eat with home-made dips, like guacamole or hummus.
Carrot and Chinese Cabbage
6 carrots peeled and grated,
Half a Chinese cabbage, finely sliced
Four grated apples
1 onion grated
Juice of one lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Pepper
Place the carrots, cabbage, apples and onion into a large bowl. Place the other ingredients into a smaller bowl and mix. Pour the mixture over the salad and stir, place in the fridge for a couple of hours
Nutrients – Vitamin B6, C, E, beta-carotene, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber.
Read MoreOnions help lower cholesterol and thin the blood
Onions are much milder than garlic, and are very good at cleansing and detoxifying the system. They contain a very important flavonoid called quercetin.
Onions have the same merits to a greater or lesser extent as leeks or garlic. Onions also lower cholesterol, keeps the blood thin, protect the heart and improve circulation. All of the onion family will add plenty of flavour and richness to your meals
Onion marinate
2 onions finely sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 pears chopped
2 inch ginger grated
Mix all the ingredients together then place the marinade in the refrigerator overnight. The onions will be good to add to all sorts of salads
Onions can be used in so many ways – raw in salads, sautéed gently, baked in the oven whole, added to stews or casserole, in curries, boiled in soups, added to stuffing, grilled or pickled. Eat then as often as you can.
Read MoreGarlic purifies the liver
Garlic, you either hate it or love it. It adds a lot of flavour to any food and it has a strong odour that some people find too much. If you are someone that finds garlic too much, use leeks or onions instead, and if this is still too strong for you then you can use chives in dishes. Chives have a very mild taste and effect on the system, always use fresh and add at the last minute, don’t cook.
Garlic purifies the liver, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. It will protect and promote a healthy heart and circulation, thins the blood, and lowers cholesterol.
Baked Garlic
Several whole garlic
Drizzle with a little olive oil
Bake in the oven until soft.
Place the whole cloves in a large jar and cover with olive oil, use when needed. Each baked clove will be soft like paste and sweet.
Use in salads dressings, on baked sweet potatoes etc
Garlic Infused Oil
Crush a load of garlic (no need to peel), place into a glass jar with a well fitting top/lid. Cover the garlic completely with olive oil and store somewhere away from direct sunlight. Shake the oil every day for two weeks. Remove the garlic, at this point the oil is ready to use or if you want the oil to have a stronger flavour, repeat the process by adding new fresh garlic to the oil. Leave infusing for two weeks shaking each day. Remove the garlic from the oil, place the oil into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use whenever oil and garlic are needed i.e. in a salad dressing, over baked sweet potatoes etc.
Nutrients – Vitamin B6, C, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc
Read MoreLeeks are rich in cleansing anti-oxidants
Leeks are a member of the onion family which also includes garlic and chives, all good for you. They can be used in stews, casseroles, soups etc. They are rich in antioxidants and have some very good cleansing properties. Leeks, like the rest of the family help to lower cholesterol, thin the blood energize the immune system, feed the nervous system, are a good diuretic and reduce inflammation. Leeks are an all round perfect anti-aging food. They add a lot of flavour however they are milder than onions and garlic which some people prefer.
Detox Soup
Plenty of leeks, sliced
Half a cabbage, chopped
Medium broccoli, chopped up
2 cloves of crushed garlic (optional)
A couple of bunches spinach
8 sticks of celery
4 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
Water or homemade vegetable stock 1 pint (½ litre)
Coriander seeds ground 1-2 teaspoons
Chilli to taste
Culantro (cilantro) leaves, chopped
½ lemon or lime juice
Place water into a large pan – add leeks, celery, coriander seeds, chilli and crushed garlic. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes add the rest of the ingredients and continue simmering for 15 to 20 minutes.
Nutrients – Vitamins B, E, K, beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, plus calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and fiber
Read MoreWhat is Chayote?
So many people have asked me what is it and what do they do with it? Records show that in Mexico the chayote has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times and was introduced during the 18th century into Europe then it was taken to Africa, Asia and Australia.
The fruit, stems, young leaves as well as the swollen parts of the roots are eaten as a vegetable. It can be eaten just plain boiled, or added to stews and casseroles. So what is the chayote? It is a member of the squash family. It is also referred to as a “vegetable pear”. The flesh is white and crisp. The fruit/vegetable is generally green and shaped like a pear with a smooth skin that has quite deep grooves running down the length of it. It’s like an ugly misshaped green pear.
The fruit and particularly the seed part of the chayote plant have been used medicinally for a very long time. An infusion of the fruit/vegetable is used to alleviate urine retention. The cardiovascular properties of the infusion of leaves have been tested in recent studies, and their effectiveness in curing kidney diseases has been known since colonial times.
Select firm, smooth, unwrinkled chayote, as old chayote become very wrinkled and hence dry, and tough. Chayote will keep refrigerated for a few days but it is best to use them as soon as possible. I use chayote raw in salads. I have included two recipes one cooked and one raw.
Chayote Soup
2 onions chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped or crushed
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh hot green chilli or dried chilli or the chilli found in jars, to your taste
¼ tablespoon coconut oil
1 ½ lb of chayote, 2 to 3 peeled, chopped into cubes
A little herb salt and some fresh pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups water, approx
Cook onions, garlic, and chilli gently in coconut oil, stirring until soft but not brown. Add the chopped chayote, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon cilantro and cook, stirring for a further 3 minutes. Add the water and simmer, covered, until all is tender, about 20 minutes. Then stir in the remaining tablespoon of cilantro and purée the soup in a blender until smooth (optional). Garnish with sprigs of fresh locally grown cilantro
White Salad
Grated chayote
Grated apples or pears
Grated daikon radish
Herbal salt
Salad dressing – option 1
Mix all ingredients together and serve with fish
Nutrients - The flesh and seed are rich in amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, arginine, cysteine, phenylalanine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, proline, serine, tyrosine, threonine and valine.
Read MoreBeetroot is extremely cleansing
Beet root is renowned for being a powerful detoxifier, especially to the blood, liver, intestines, kidneys, and gall bladder. It also helps speed up the circulation and metabolism. Juice made with beetroot, cabbage, and parsley is extremely cleansing. Go easy don’t drink too much especially at first.
In Russia beetroot has been a favourite for centuries and they have a famous soup called Borsch. This vegetable is bright red and some people find it a little too much, urine might be a little pink after consumption.
Borsch Soup
Beet root, peeled and chopped
Onions, chopped
Cabbage, chopped
Carrots, chopped
Potatoes, chopped
Vegetable stock
Pepper
Cinnamon
Apples chopped
Bring the ingredients to the boil and simmer until soft and puree to a smooth consistency. Serve hot or cold.
Beet root Salad
Grate raw beet root (wear rubber gloves).
Dark green salad leaves,
Some red or black grapes, halved,
Salad dressing option 3 – under miscellaneous
Nutrients – Vitamin B3, B6, C, beta-carotene, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and fiber.
Read MoreArthritis & Pain Program at The Haven
