 "Women don't stop being women, just because they have cancer." - Jennifer Young
Many of you will have seen our Beauty Despite Cancer ‘Defiant Beauty’ range and we thought we would tell you a bit more about them. Designed by Jennifer Young in conjunction with North Staffordshire University Hospital’s Oncology team they have been specially designed for those going through cancer treatment. This means that they are effective at supporting the side effects of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. Jennifer set out to create a beautiful range ensuring that they were:
So where is oestrogen found? It’s a naturally occurring human hormone. However, there are sources of Oestrogen-mimicking compounds and our bodies don’t know the difference. These include:
Common Questions: Why would someone going through cancer choose Defiant Beauty?
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Spring is a time for new beginnings, here at Nourishing we are following in the Snowdrops footsteps and blooming a little earlier. Hoping to open "officially" on the 11th of February with our sign unveiling we will be open for business over the next few days so feel free to pop in for a chat and a browse. Located at 44 St Andrew Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1JA We are just around the corner from John Lewis. Even without the sign you will still find us, just look for the turret! Opening Times: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 8pm Saturday 10am- 5pm Closed Sunday & Monday Our new shop and wellness centre has a wide range of supplements, natural cosmetics, health foods and teas to help support you reach your health goals. We are especially excited to stock a selection of Scottish products including: IQ superfood chocolate (scientifically proven by the Rowett Institute and RGU to have "superior nutritional value compared to other high cocoa content chocolate bars") and Almighty Food's stone ground, sprouted nut butters. If you were looking for an ethical and healthier version of Chocolate Spread their Hazelnut Fuj is definitely the answer!
We also have Pukka's new Clean Me Green 14 day organic wellbeing kit the perfect thing to reignite your wellness campaign if you fell of the wagon in January. (We don't judge those dark nights are enough to make the best of us reach for a slice of cake!!) Wondering what to buy your loved one for Valentines Day? How about an evening of relaxation with a hot bath using our magnesium filled Epsom salts, followed by a warming cup of Pukka Love Tea and some delicious IQ or Ombar chocolate.  In addition to Nutritional Therapy with Beverley we will also be offering Massage Therapy with Harriette including Oncology Massage, Natural Facelift Facials and Baby Massage Classes. To book a consultation call us on 01224 969637.
We look forward to welcoming you soon. Harriette and Beverley xx  Who said getting your 'five a day' was difficult?! With this recipe, we not only have 6 veg in the sauce, we also have another 3 greens in the salad! 9 in one meal? Well, I did say there was a sexy twist!
So, how did we do it? Well our sauce was made with grass fed beef (extra omega 3) along with red peppers high in vitamin C so perfect to help absorb the Iron in the beef! The vitamin A in the pepper also improves night vision and the magnesium and B6 work together to help reduce anxiety. Interestingly, recent research has shown that sweet red peppers can increase thermogenesis and therefore metabolic rate. What? Burning calories? This meal just got sexier! But there's more... The tomatoes are also high in vitamin C and the wonderful chemical which makes peppers and tomatoes red is lycopene which releases on heating. Lycopene has been shown in many studies to prevent many cancers and is well known for its protective effects against prostate cancer. We added a jar of Organic Passata along with a punnet of small tomatoes to add fibre and texture. Mushrooms are also known for their cancer protective effects as they are immuno-modulating and anti-inflammatory. The onion and garlic are from the allium family, much like leeks, scallions and chives which could also be used in this recipe! Onions also contain Vit C, B6, Folate, Iron and Potassium. But the super exciting ingredient is possibly the quercetin which has been found to act as a powerful anti-histamine and antioxidant! The popular use of onions in French cuisine has been suggested to be one of the reasons behind the French paradox as onions have been shown to improve blood lipids! Our advice is...add onion to everything! Then there's the garlic and we all know what a superfood it is in terms of taste and health benefits. This immune boosting superfood should also be included daily as it has been shown in countless studies to be cancer protective. TOP TIP: Add garlic towards the end of cooking to maximine taste and enhance benefits. We also added spinach, again a wonderful nutrient dense vegetable with lots of folate, magnesium, Vit A, C, and calcium. Put a few handfuls in at the end and hide away the greens from small children (and not so small children!) to enhance their nourishment. Our green salad was made with Romaine Lettuce which oddly enough is high in protein and an excellent source of calcium, so if you add it to calcium rich fruits like oranges you will have more calcium than a glass of milk! The little gem lettuce and coriander add yet more vit C and folate among other nutrients. The more greens the better! I have to say, I rarely eat pasta. Most pastas are made from white bleached wheatflour which is great for weight gain but doesn't really pack a nutrient punch! This one is a gluten free brown rice option which is high in insoluble fibre but keep the portion size small, around a quarter of your plate. There are other good alternatives such as chickpea and buckwheat pasta which are better for fibre, nutrients and low glycaemic index, so have a look in your health store for options. So.. there you have it. Buon appetito ( as they say in Italy!)  Many people tell me that they don't buy organic food because they see it as a big con and that either the farmers are making false claims or that the supermarkets are packaging things with a different label in order to increase profits! Some also think that organic food is no different from non organic and therefore what's the point?
Just to set the context, there have been many studies which have clearly shown the benefits of organic food. Perhaps the biggest and most widely referenced has been Newcastle University's landmark study which showed 60% higher antioxidants and considerably less toxic heavy metal exposure than non organic. Further details HERE. Another concern is that amount of pesticides in the non organic food and the impact this may have on health as a result of chemicals which work as endocrine disrupters. You may have read about such chemicals which are also found in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and can result in immunological, reproductive and neurological complications among others. So, what is Organic food? Organic food has to be made form at least 95% organic ingredients whether animal or plant source. The remaining 5% coming from a list of recommended foods that are not available organically e.g. iron and thiamine used in flour. No pesticides or chemical fertilisers are used and the healthy, fertile soil is achieved by rotating crops and encouraging wildlife to deal with pest control and disease prevention. Organic farming is a fascinating and beautiful subject as we see man setting his wits against nature and coming up with strategies that don't involve chemicals! Organic animals must be pastured in wide open spaces and raised according to the highest standards of animal welfare. Growth hormones are prohibited as are routine antibiotics. (Antibiotics are given if the animal is unwell but a designated time period must lapse before the animal can be included back in the food chain). These issues are important to note as some people give up meat assuming that animals are not medicated as required and are left to suffer. This is NOT the case. In fact the guidelines for farmers are a mile long and can be found HERE. How do I know my food is actually organic? Couldn't the farmer just claim this? First of all, the issue that we need to understand is that for any farmer choosing to go Organic, this is a group of people with a huge passion for what they do and a philosophy which guides their approach to farming. This is not an easy option! It is a huge amount of work and Organic farmers are extremely dedicated to their work. It is what I would call a labour of love! The guidelines they must adhere to and the costs involved in registering as Organic make it prohibitive for all but the most dedicated. They are also highly regulated with spot checks by regulating bodies such as The Soil Association and the costs involved in failing to comply would be too ridiculous for any farmer to even contemplate. Added to which, he would be breaking the law! So, as long as the food has a Soil Association stamp or Organic Farmers and Growers or equivalent then we can be assured they are truly organic and meet with strict EC guidelines. For a list of regulators in the UK, see as follows...
Organic food certainly isn't a con. It is in fact how food used to be, before the advent of chemicals. Anecdotally, many people notice a better taste with organic produce. But for most people it is the health benefits for both ourselves and the animals and plants that are of greatest concern as are the implications for the environment and sustainable farming methods. I hope you find some reassurance in the above. Further information can also be found HERE.  Finding the perfect turkey can be difficult at Christmas, especially if you are trying to find an organic, free range turkey that comes in on budget. Thankfully here at Nourishing we have done the hard work so you don't have to!
Our No.1 choice this Christmas (and where we have ordered ours from!) is Gazegill Organic Farm in Lancashire. Here their turkeys are hatched at the beginning of the summer and then slowly fattened on organic feed over 6 months, as nature intended. The turkeys live in large barns and are actively encouraged to run in the farm's fields. This allows the turkeys leg muscles to develop properly helping it to happily walk about and carry it's ever increasing and yummy breast! They are killed and hung in the traditional way ensuring a wonderful flavour and succulent, tender meat. Prices start at a very reasonable £54 for a small turkey to feed 10-12 up to £72 for a large to feed 14-16 with leftovers. Gazegill still have turkeys available and they will deliver straight to your front in time for Christmas. Having shopped around Gazegill give you excellent value for money and match or beat many high street retailers and other organic farms on price. However, what Gazegill give you extra is complete traceability from field to plate and a friendly voice at the end of the phone if you have any questions about their farm or delivery. If your budget doesn't quite stretch to organic turkey then you might want to consider buying 2 organic chickens. You could even smother them with different flavoured butters to make the table more exciting. For example cover one with a lemon butter and one with a garlic and chive. And who doesn't want to smother things in butter at Christmas time?! If you are dairy free then just make your 'butters' using coconut oil or goose fat for extra crispy skin. Whichever bird you choose for your Christmas feast, remember the key word here is Organic which means extra Omega three fatty acids for health and extra taste for a perfect and truly nourishing Festive meal for your family. Enjoy x  Well it's been a few weeks now since I planted out my garden so I thought I would post a few pictures and let you see how it's getting on. Amazingly, everything is still alive, even the basil which I have to admit is looking a bit pasty but it's the longest I've ever kept one going so I'm proud! The salad leaves are thriving and the mix of sunshine and showers we have had the last few weeks seems to be just what they need. I'm looking forward to my first harvest of leaves tonight to make a yummy salad with last nights left over roast chicken! I think I am now a grow your own convert and will be ordering the autumn/ winter garden later on in the summer. If I can do it so can you!   Tucked up in a bed of straw. Last week we posted about where to buy your organic produce from but have you ever thought about growing your own? I have tried and failed to grow my own many times, I always seem to be blighted by the weather, slugs, caterpillars, seeds don't germinate etc etc and the only things that I ever manage to grow are potatoes and fruit bushes. Basically things you can't go wrong with. I am eternally envious of those green fingered few who seem to be able to grown anything and wish I could do the same! This year after hearing about Rocket Gardens I thought I would try again. Rocket Gardens send you out your very own, organically grown mini plants, lovingly tucked up in a bed of straw, packaged into a box and sent straight to your door. Not wanting to get ahead of myself I ordered the window box garden. It arrived last week and I was very excited to unpack my box and plant my mini-plants out in plant pots (after I nipped to homebase to buy some more, clearly underestimated how many plants I was getting!). You could plant them straight into the ground but I'm lazy and pots are easier to weed! My box contained: Dwarf French Green Beans x 3 Mixed lettuces x 10 Rocket x 10 Mizuna x 10 Spinach x 10 Golden streak mustard x 10 Spring onions x 10 Beetroot x 10 Basil x 1 pot Parsley x 1 pot Chives x 1 pot
We are now a week on and I haven't managed to accidentally kill them! In fact they seem to be doing well and that's with a whole week of cold and rain. The only things that aren't outside are the green beans and basil as it is still too cold for them to go out just yet but they are happy enough on the kitchen windowsill and growing away. Hopefully my luck with this years crop will continue and I will be harvesting yummy salad leaves all through the summer! Will let you know how I get on. I have even bought some strawberries and planted them in a hanging basket away from slugs and Molly (the puppy) who would eat them! If I can do it so can you! Why not pop along to the garden centre or order a lovely organic garden from Rocket Gardens.  Enjoying the sun one week on! |
WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING“I did Nutritional Therapy with Beverley and it was life changing. I highly recommend it!” Allison Blakely (Glasgow)
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