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blueberries for hormone health

The Best Food to Support Hormones – Blueberries

Written by trish on . Posted in Hormone Health.

Blueberries are flowering indigo-coloured berries that are sweet, long-lasting, and versatile. They are a great way to jazz up salads, smoothies, yogurt, and gluten-free pancakes, cupcakes, or waffles. Not only are they tasty and easy to snack on, but they are powerhouse superfoods with a wide range of benefits. Here are just a few.

Blueberries for hormone health

 

  1. High in nutrition

Blueberries are very nutritious. A cup contains four grams of fiber, 36% of your daily value (DV) of vitamin K, 24% DV of vitamin C, 25% DV of manganese and 15 grams of healthy carbohydrates.

  1. Low in calories

Although they are high in nutrition, they are low in calories. One serving of 148 grams of blueberries only contains 84 calories.

  1. King of anti-oxidants

Blueberries are often referred to as the king of antioxidants. They contain a high number of flavonoids that reduce the risk of various types of diseases and illnesses like cancer and heart problems.

  1. Promote anti-aging

Daily consumption of blueberries reduces the risk of DNA damage and the development of anti-aging symptoms.

  1. Fight various diseases and illnesses

Blueberries can help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and improve your memory and other brain activities.

  1. Workout partner

Blueberries are great for restoring and repairing muscle damage after hard workout sessions. Add a handful of them to your post-workout protein shake or smoothie.

  1. Help in losing weight

The fiber in blueberries helps you feel full, satiates cravings, and provides you with loads of long-lasting energy. Whip up a smoothie or throw them into some Greek yogurt to help keep your snacking healthy.

  1. Healthy digestion

Having a handful of blueberries as a dessert after your meal will help to improve your digestion and will save your body from disturbing illnesses like constipation.

  1. Promote clear and glowing skin

Blueberries promote clear skin. The high levels of vitamin C help reduce the damages of smoke, pollution and built up makeup. Try a blueberry facemask at home to help your skin regain its glow.

  1. Have luscious locks

The vitamins and nutrients in blueberries can help restore the lustre and shine of your hair. You can even crush a handful of blueberries and add them to your hair oil as a hair mask. Apply, let sit for a few minutes, and rinse. Your hair will feel amazing.

  1. You are strong when your bones are strong

Blueberries contain magnesium, calcium, iron, and phosphorus that promote strong, healthy bones. Daily consumption of a handful of blueberries may help repair damaged bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

If you would like to learn more about my Hormone Balancing Package including DUTCH TEST and Happy Menopause Package click here 

 

Yours in health and wellness,

 

Trish Tucker May

The benefits of Sauerkraut and how to prepare it

The benefits of Sauerkraut and how to prepare it

Written by trish on . Posted in Gut Health.

While you can certainly make sauerkraut from red or white cabbage. Red cabbage has a strong concentration of anthocyanin polyphenols and 6 x more vitamin C.

This recipe has huge health benefits including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities as well as being a powerful tonic for your gut.

Red Cabbage also more iron and vitamin A than white cabbage.

I love the combination. The colour is gorgeous.

It is especially beneficial in the treatment of ulcers and bloating.

A little bit every day is a great accompaniment to any meal.

 

Ingredients

1 head white cabbage

1 head red cabbage

– organic is better but if you can’t find it the fermentation process does help kill off any pesticides.

2 1/2 tablespoons grey Celtic salt or the best salt you can find. Use 1 Tablespoon salt for each 1 kg of cabbage

1 1/2 tablespoons juniper berries

1 tablespoon caraway seeds. These are optional. I have also used fennel seeds in the past.

 

Instructions

Prepare your fermentation vessel or glass jar. Make sure it is clean and sterile and the lid fits well.  This will make enough for 4- 5 medium size glass jars. If you have a tray to sit your glass jars on once full, this will prevent the juices overflowing and staining your shelf.

Clean the cabbage – Begin by removing the outer leaves of the cabbage if a bit old. Wash to remove potential contaminants.

Slice the cabbage into fat ribbons about 1 cm wide. The end result seems to work better when cutting with a sharp knife rather than grating or using the food processor.

Keep the dense end of the cabbage -it makes a handy lid for the ferment to help keep the contents submerged under the juice.

Place in a large bowl and add salt and spices, juniper berries and caraway seeds. Toss, bash, pound and massage the sliced cabbage with the salt and let sit for 30 minutes or until it starts to sweat.  The cabbage will be ready once you can squeeze juice and you begin to see a purple liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

Begin the process of filling your fermentation vessel or glass jar. Push down hard and compress out any air as you go.

Fill the jar but allow a small gap at the top as the contents will bubble when fermenting. Include any liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

Compress down hard using a pounder, rolling pin or your fist. You can place a weight on top of the cabbage to effectively submerge the contents of the jar.  The dense end of the cabbage is very handy for this. Your goal is to have the liquid cover the cabbage completely to provide an anaerobic environment within which the fermentation can take place.

After several hours you may be able to press the contents down further. If the cabbage looks a little dry add some filtered water to the top and stir in gently. Make sure a nice seal is made around the edge to keep oxygen and other potential contaminants out.

After 3 days you will need to burp your ferment. Open the jar carefully and submerge any cabbage that has come to the top. If you need to add a little more liquid or a weight to keep the cabbage submerged this will help keep oxygen out and allow the anaerobic process to occur.

Wait impatiently – Let it sit for a minimum of 2-3 weeks. You can easily leave it for 6 weeks or even months if desired. It will simply become sharper and sourer over time. Once you have reached your desire level of taste you can keep it in the fridge or on your shelf for many months to come.

I recommend a small amount of sauerkraut each day. It goes well with salad, broth and veggies for breakfast or a bowl of rice and steamed veg.

Play around with the flavour you like. Be brave in experimenting with flavour.  Fermenting is a combination of agitation and alchemy. Create magic in the kitchen and enjoy the benefits of this wonderful prebiotic for your gut.