Pumpkin, Apple and Leek Soup

Pumpkins are sweet, earthy and overflowing with healthy vitamins and beta-carotenes. Here they are combined with leeks, apples and cider to make a spicy, hearty soup, perfect for warming us on cold autumnal days. Read more

Yoga Video - Sun Salutation B - Surya Namaskara B

Emily Collins demonstrates Sun Salutation B, or Surya Namaskara B. This is the second variation of the classic Yoga warm-up which should be practiced before any Yoga routine so that your body is fully warmed up before you practice. It is a complete workout in itself, loosening and heating up every joint and corner of the body.

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5 Superfood Groups for Autumn

Along with reducing energy use at home, one of the things we can all do to ease the stress on the environment and potentially save money, is to eat local and that means eating foods that are in season. With that in mind here are five superfood groups that are in season in the northern hemisphere during autumn, along with links to some great recipes for each of them.

1. Beets

The beet has a long history of cultivation strecthing back to the second millenium BC. The plant was probably domesticated somewhere along the Mediterranean, whence it was later spread to Babylonia by the 8th century BC and as far west as China by 850 AD. Beets’ potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. Beets are also particularly rich in the B vitamin folate. The usually deep-red roots of garden beet are eaten boiled either as a cooked vegetable, or cold as a salad after cooking and adding oil and vinegar. A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilised beets or into pickles. In Eastern Europe beet soup, such as cold borscht, is a popular dish.

2. Sweet Potatoes and Pumpkin

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B6. In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato. It may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance. The dark orange vegetable family outdoes all others in vitamin A content. Other dark orange vegetable that share these wonderful qualities include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, and orange bell peppers.

Pumpkin, Apple and Leek Soup

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

3. Cruciferous Vegetables

Crucifers such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, collards and turnips contain indole alkaloids that may help prevent cancer. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have recently discovered that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane in Brassica vegetables is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. They are also high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Along with their fabulous flavor, once you get the hang of cooking them, they may have an added bonus: they may help bolster memory as you age. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that women who eat the most of these foods are the least likely to be forgetful.

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

4. The Alliums

Allium is the onion genus, with about 1250 species, making it one of the largest plant genera in the world. It includes foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots, which contain sulfur compounds that may protect against heart disease and some cancers, they can also help the liver deal with toxins and carcinogens. Onions may be especially beneficial for women, who are at increased risk of osteoporosis as they go through menopause, by destroying osteoclasts so that they do not break down bone. Some of the pleiomeric chemicals in onions have the potential to alleviate or prevent sore throat.

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

5. Beans

There are many foods within the bean family, including the commen bean, runner beans, soybeans, peas, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas (garbanzos), vetches and lupins. An excellent source of protein, antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates, beans are flavorful, nutritionally dense, inexpensive and versatile. Some kinds of raw beans and especially red and kidney beans, contain a harmful toxin (the lectin Phytohaemagglutinin) that must be destroyed by cooking. A recommended method is to boil the beans for at least ten minutes; undercooked beans may be more toxic than raw beans.

Yoga Video - Bridge Posture and Upward Bow Posture

A Yoga video by Emily Collins demonstrating a series of back bend poses, Bridge Posture - Setu Bandhasana then into Upward Bow Posture - Urdhva Dhanurasana. These are very good especially if you work at a computer and you feel tight in your chest, shoulders and wrists. Wonderful for elasticity of the spine, and opening the chest and the heart area.

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14 Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Prevention Tips

Most people do nearly all their work on a computer these days, but life with a keyboard can be dangerous to your health. According to Microsoft, RSI costs UK businesses around £300 million a year in lost productivity, and the European Trade Union Federation estimates that the condition affects nearly a third of workers in the EU, a figure that to me seems a little high. Published peer-reviewed studies put the overall incidence in the population at between five and ten percent, but for certain professions this can rise as high as 40 percent. Read more

Yoga Video - Hero and Reclining Hero Posture

This is a great Yoga video by Emily Collins demonstrating Hero Posture or Virasana, great for stretching for the thighs and ankles. Emily then goes into Reclining Hero Posture, or Supta Virasana, great for opening the chest and shoulders. A particularly good exercise for all you out there who work on a computer, which can cause your chest and shoulders to get very tight indeed.

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Herbs To Help You Stop Smokin

One of the biggest problems when trying to stop smoking is that smokers become physically dependant on nicotine. Smoking affects the parts of the brain that relate to reward and pleasure. It increases the amount of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, and the nature of nicotine is that it creates a cycle of positive reinforcement within your brain that makes you want more. Scientists have found that when you withdraw from chronic nicotine use, it results in changes in these neural pleasure pathways. So when stopping, depression and anxiety are common side-effects.

There are a few herbs that have a traditional reputation for helping people stop smoking. These herbs exert varying effects that will make stopping easier. Most of them can be found in either dried bulk, capsule, or liquid extract form. Be sure to always follow the directions on the label for use. If using dried herbs, use them only to prepare tea, or tinctures, and never smoke them as a replacement for tobacco. Read more