Healthwise Clinic Natural Health Blog

So many people spend hours on the computer, and it can become a habit to reach for a cup of coffee to punctuate the day.  Coffee will eventually give you a sour taste in your mouth, while what you really need in Spring is a genuine taste of something sour.

Detox during Spring with lemons.

During the spring our bodies are de-toxing naturally, and the perfect way to help them is to provide a taste of something sour like lemon.  The taste of lemons will give added punch and help your body to get rid of excess fat and toxins.  Incredible though it may seem your body loses weight naturally at this time of year.  It makes sense as in the natural world animals need layers of fat to see them through the lean winter months, and when the earth wakes up, leaves start to appear and more food appears, those fat deposits are not needed any more.

Like animals we can benefit from the natural cycle of the seasons.

Changing your diet to include more sour less sweet tastes.

The first action you can take is to replace endless cups of tea and coffee.  To be honest they can become a habit.  Giving up those drinks can sound difficult if you have a stressful life and use the drinks as a pick me up.

The warmth of tea or coffee is important, so what we suggest is that you have a warm comforting drink first thing in the morning.  Boiled water and a slice of lemon will be much more appealing before you eat anything sweet.

It could help to imagine all the excess gunk leaving your body effortlessly helped along with the drink.  During the day you do need to drink water, and we reckon that hot water and lemon could soon become your favourite! Start gradually, and reduce the other drinks and replace with water and lemon.

The other action to take is to reduce the amount of sweetness you eat.  Having started the day well should give you a boost to cut down.  Your body does not need sweetness during Spring, so try fresh greens and food with more vitality which is far far better for you than stodgy junk food.  Over time you will find your taste preferences change and you prefer food which is not clogging up your arteries and metabolism.  Fresh vital food helps to give you energy, and eating lemons in spring help you to lose weight, so it is a double gain!

Simple and powerful. Boost your liver to detox naturally.  Put the kettle on and get started ..and imagine all that gunk effortlessly leaving your body.

Here’s a recipe from my repertoire for a highly nutritious chicken stock and soup that will boost your immune system and give you lots of energy. Eat it at least 3 times per week, but it can be eaten daily for optimum results.

Chicken stock recipe
This makes a clear stock that you can use as a soup base alone or with other foods.

Ingredients:
I recommend using organic products if possible. I leave everything whole so that the stock remains fairly clear.

1 whole chicken
1 large onion
6-8 bay leaves
3 sticks celery
2 leeks
8 shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp sea salt or ideally Himalayan salt
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Goji berries
Water to cover the chicken completely

Instructions:
Place the chicken in the pot and add all of the ingredients (whole) and then add the water to cover over the chicken.
Turn heat on and slowly heat it up. Do NOT bring it to a boil or simmer at any point during cooking.
It must cook for most of the day 6-8 hours and very slowly. For the first 40 minutes you need to skim off the frothy stuff that comes to the top. Keep doing this every few hours and you’ll be rewarded with a clear beautiful stock. Season with salt and pepper. Do not boil or simmer just let it get very hot.

If you want a better stock start it in the morning and cook it very slowly all day. Then let it cool down overnight and reheat the next day and cook for a few more hours. The longer you cook it the better it tastes but one day is sufficient for getting health results.
Once cooked, take the chicken out carefully so as to not leave anything in the stock. Remove the skin and discard and then take all of the meat off the bone. Let cool down and refrigerate. To finish the stock, strain the vegetables out and either eat or discard them. You now have a very healthy, immune boosting stock. For increased immunity add more Shitake mushrooms and more goji berries and 9 grams of Astragalus (herb), available at Healthwise. This herb is one of the best in the world for improving immunity.
Try the recipe below for a meal idea.

Meal idea:
Once cooked, put the stock in a bowl, add cooked noodles, some of the chicken meat and raw pak choi or other leafy greens (finely chopped) and uncooked finely sliced Shiitake mushrooms and enjoy

Snow and ice in Britain over the last few days have made a difference to our health.  While the weather has created problems it has also given us opportunities for better health.

• The hills have been alive with sledging, skiing and snowboarding.  Conditions have been so good that the snow has rivalled experiences you would normally get in the Alps.  Lots of fun ways to take exercise.

• Parents who would normally be at work are taking the time to be with their children whose schools have been closed.  Spending quality time with those who are most important to you is important for our health.

• Cars have been left in the drive, and people have walked.  Simply walking for 20 minutes is soo much better than always going by car.

• We have noticed there have been more conversations with strangers.  The weather is a good subject to talk about but there has been a better connection between people and a chance to get to know new people.  (We are social creatures – we need to be in contact with others)

• This is of course in addition to all the people who have helped each other dig cars out of the snow, and generally be good neighbours…our mind and spirit affects our health.  Being helped as well as helping others contributes massively to our well-being.

• Food is being bought in a more planned way.  More snow is continually being threatened, so many families have stocked up.

• We have become more aware of the weather.  In traditional chinese medicine the seasons play a large part in health, and often in modern life we simply fail to notice the season we are in.  Looking at a snow scene is also an opportunity for reflection.

• Last but not least, winter is a time of rest and recuperation.  The snow has given us all a chance to stop and take life more quietly for a day or two.  Stopping the frenetic lifestyle is a key aspect of better health.

However, we are looking forward to seeing all of you whose appointments were affected by the weather, and hope we will be able to catch up in the next few days.

Baby rabbits, eggs and new born lambs are the ancient symbols of  spring-time. We give chocolate eggs and rabbits to each other even if we celebrate Easter as a Christian tradition.  It is the time of year for new growth.

This year the weather has been warm so the blossom is out in towns and countryside, new green shoots can be seen and all of nature is bursting with new life.   Baby lambs are walking unsteadily in fields, birds are building their nests and looking after the young, and life seems full of promise.

For many childless couples who want to have a baby this can be a particularly difficult time of year.  The contrast between their own situation and the world around seems particularly unjust. The couple may start to wonder what is wrong with them, or resent the unfairness of the fact that birth seems such a natural activity yet they have been excluded.

At some point they may seek advice, physical tests, or support and their situation can often be described to them by a person in a position of authority as  “unexplained infertility”.

After a length of time having had hopes raised and dashed each month, this opinion, which puts a clear label on the situation,  can cause extreme distress.   Extreme situations call for extreme measures so IVF may become the obvious “answer” to the problem.

At Healthwise we do not believe in “unexplained infertility”.  It is always very clear why a couple cannot conceive, or have not yet conceived.

We go even further.  We do not believe in “infertility” as a lasting state.  In some cases there may be mechanical issues which can be resolved, but these are a smaller proportion than might be expected.

The ability to produce a baby is natural.  It does not require thought or any type of proof of worth.  Just look at nature.

A stage of infertility can occur due to a whole range of factors resulting in a lack of balance in the body of either of the partners.  There is nothing unexplained or difficult to comprehend.  The solutions can take time but each incremental improvement improves health and well-being.  A mother who has become pregnant through acupuncture treatment at Healthwise is stronger and more capable of looking after her baby, than if she has become pregnant through IVF or IUI.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine are the natural way to support the body so that the natural process of birth can take place.

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We have had such beautiful  weather in the last week that blossom and leaves have appeared.

In the parks at the weekend I saw people wearing shorts and light tee shirts.

It does seem a tempting idea but – I am going to sound like your granny here – it is best to stay warm until summer is properly here.

A run of warm weather in spring is not the same as summer.  The spring winds are still cold and you can catch a chill quite easily. in fact very easily.  A lot of health problems are as a result of failing to behave according to the season.  Wear a light coat, and put the sandals back in the cupboard!

If you have never tried lemon and ginger tea now’s your chance!

We will be giving all the visitors to our talk on 24th March a lovely cup of this gorgeous tea.

The sharpness of the lemon and the spicy ginger combine to give you all round goodness. Yes, this is a great drink for Spring as it helps your metabolism detox and boosts increasing energy as spring turns to summer.

You can get this in a sachet of pre-made tea but we prefer the real thing. Slices of real lemon and real ginger into boiling water. Let it cool a little and then sip.

The sun is out at last! Spring has arrived and the leaves are starting to turn green.

Our bodies are regaining energy after the winter but they still need to be gently supported in the Spring. So don’t immediately turn to cold food even thought the sun is out.

Soups can be made easily and quickly and are the perfect spring time meal. Lighter than the rich winter casseroles, soups help your body to make the most of the natural detox going on at the moment. They are a great way to get lots of nutritious goodness. And for an extra twist to really help your body add a little spice. It will boost your energy.

To find out

come to Andrew Loosely’s talk at Healthwise

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many thanks and best wishes
Andrew

There are so many toxins all around us.  Even in our own homes.  the trouble is that they don’t necessarily look dangerous or have a skull and crossbones health warning attached to them.. so we don’t often know!

Healthy people can shrug off these problems but Winter is a time when energy can be low, and it is also a good time to address energy problems.  The first Healthwise talk of 2009 will take place at the Healthwise Clinic in Burnham and it is all about the many ways that toxins can be reduced in our everyday life to improve health.

The evening is on 27th January from 7 – 9 pm and all are welcome.  Ring the clinic if you want to come along – cost is £ 20 or £ 15 with a copy of the Winter Newsletter.  Andrew Loosely will share his knowledge and make it easier for you to achieve better health.

How many people do you know who were ill over Christmas?  A lot of my friends and acquaintances have been laid low in the run up to Christmas and afterwards.

According to the lunar calendar used in Chinese medicine this is not surprising as we should all be taking it easy in the winter months. Winter is traditionally the time for accumulation (not depletion of energy), nourishment and growth.

Flowers do not bloom in winter, trees lose their leaves .. plants have a period of downtime – and so should we!  Instead of getting stressed, winter is the time we should be relaxing more, eating good healthy food, and getting the rest we need.

So make the most of the credit crunch and avoid the sales and you will helping your health as well as your wallet!