Stellaria media Chickweed is available most of the year but I love to gather it in early Spring. It is a tiny sprawling plant with white star-like flowers that can be easily overlooked. Chickweed is a low growing, sprawling annual. You will find it growing in clumps alongside grassy areas, hedgerows and amongst other weeds […]
Allium ursinum Wild garlic, also known as ramsoms or creamh in Irish, (Allium ursinum) are the most common variety of wild garlic found in Ireland. You will find them in woodland areas, alongside streams and wet ditches in early Spring. They have similar properties to cultivated garlic, they benefit the heart and blood circulation, are […]
Proteins are involved in all functions of the body. They help to build body tissues, enzymes, immune cells and are essential for repair and maintenance. Amino acids, of which there are 20, are the building blocks of proteins. 9 of these amino acids are considered essential as the body cannot make them and need to […]
Sprouting is an easy and economical way to add vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes to your diet. Sprouting increases vitamin content by up to 700% and provides a rich source of antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic proteins, minerals and vitamins. Alfalfa sprouts are high in vitamins A, B, C, E and K, and amino acids; they help […]
Omega 3 & 6 The human body is capable of producing all the fatty acids it requires except for two: omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid. Omega-3 and 6 are termed: Essential fatty acids (EFAs), because we need to get them from our diet. Omega 3 fatty acids are primarily found in plant sources […]
There are two types of dietary fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre dissolves as it is digested. It absorbs fluids, which can delay stomach emptying and relieve diarrhoea, stabilise blood sugars, regulate cholesterol and sustain energy. Oats and psyllium seed husks are high in soluble fibre. Chia seeds are among the richest sources of soluble […]
Whole unprocessed grains contain all three edible parts: the germ, endosperm and bran of the original grain seed or kernel. The bran is the outer skin of the kernel. It contains important antioxidants, B vitamins and fibre. The germ is the embryo and it has the potential to sprout into a new plant. It contains […]
Refined white sugar has no nutritional value. It is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and produces a rush that triggers the pancreas to try and re-balance sugar-levels in the blood. Too much sugar over-activates the pancreas, absorbs calcium from your bones and teeth that later gets deposited in your muscles, arteries, joints and major organs, […]
The word vital stems from the Latin vitalis (–of life) and refers to that which is essential and necessary to the maintenance of life. Air: Practice deep-breathing From our first breath to our last, air is absolutely essential to life. If you live in a busy built-up area, get to a park for a walk, […]
A healthy diet is fundamental to a healthy body. The abundance of contradictory research on what constitutes a healthy diet can be confusing, and being told that what was good for us yesterday is bad for us today can numb us on the whole subject of diet. Fad diets and food trends come and go, […]
