The Healing Ginger Compress

As most of you will know, ginger has many healing capabilities and is one of my favourite home remedies.  The purpose of a hot Ginger Compress is to dissolve stagnation, mucus and tension, melt blockages and stimulate circulation and energy flow. This is a wonderful treatment for injuries to the body, especially the back and I use it on clients with scoliosis. It is particularly good for moving stagnated chi (energy) in the kidneys and the lungs, especially if you eat dairy foods, the main cause of lung congestion. Ginger compresses also help heal skin complaints.

Marlene Administering A Ginger Compress

The heat activity of the compress stimulates the blood and tissue circulation in the area being treated which then facilitates the excretion of the dispersed toxins. It is a super remedy for assisting with bloating. I recommend three times weekly on consecutive days for a period of 21 days. It is also effective in dissolving hardened accumulations of fats, proteins or minerals. Examples are kidney stones, gallbladder stones, cysts and benign tumours such as uterine fibroids. 

Ginger For Healing

Many types of acute or chronic pain can be relieved such as rheumatism, arthritis, backaches, cramps, kidney stone attacks, toothaches, stiff neck, sprains, frozen shoulder and similar problems. It is very effective for those suffering from asthma but will be effective ONLY when dietary recommendations are followed. A ginger compress can speed up the improvement from a variety of inflammatory conditions, like bronchitis, prostate infection, bladder inflammation, and intestinal inflammations (but never appendicitis). It is effective in relieving congestive conditions like asthma. When tissues have been damaged, the compress can speed up the regeneration of the damaged area and is also a wonderful treatment for dissolving muscle tension.

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, grate enough gingerroot into a cotton cloth or handkerchief, to equal the size of a golf ball. Secure with an elastic band. When the water comes to a boil, switch off. Place the ball into the pot and allow it to soak in the water without boiling for about 5 minutes. Place two face towels into the ginger water, wring out one of the face cloths and fan it slightly to allow the hot steam to dissipate. This depends on each individual, some clients can tolerate very hot cloths, others not so, always ask when the cloth is placed. When you apply the cloth to the desired area on the body, cover it with a hand towel to hold in the heat. Change the facecloth every 1 - 2 minutes as it starts to cool off. Alternating the cloths quickly is important so that the skin does not cool off between applications. Continue the applications for about 15 to 20 minutes until the skin has turned pink.

The tissues of the walls of the intestine if you are using it there to relieve digestive problems, are thinner than the skin on the back so be careful to use the cloths at a temperature that will not burn you. However, the cloths do need to be hot to stimulate blood flow. The tissues begin to receive clean, revitalised blood (if we have also changed our way of eating, and it must be emphasised the ginger compress is a waste of time if we do not). The intestines become revitalised, leading to regeneration of the tissues and restoration of their proper, harmonious function.

During Treatment

As a result of this treatment, mucus deposits are gradually dissolved and toxins are flushed into the bloodstream. The body may show signs of detoxification or may show no overt signs of cleansing other than increased urination and bowel movement and some fatigue. Relax after the treatment and drink some filtered water.  The compress should be done three times a week. There will be ample ginger in the water for three applications. Simply bring the water to just below boiling and switch off.

For psoriasis or other skin, complaints place the hot towels from the sternum to the navel to cover the whole intestinal tract.  This is where the healing will take place for problems with the skin. However, you must change to a wholefood plant-based vegan diet and lifestyle for full benefits and renewed health. 

Never apply a ginger compress when a high fever is present or as mentioned above with appendicitis. As the compresses are very contractive (yang) they are hot applications, and, therefore, should not be used in a dense area of the body such as the brain. The body is a self-healing organism and always strives for homoeostasis. So, eat well, hydrate and exercise for good energy and vitality. Your body will love you for it. 

In good health

Go Vegan - It's Easy

Our Vegan Advocacy Work

Last week, Bill and myself attended the LAUDATO SI conference at the University of East Anglia where our friend and amazing pioneer, Gary. L. Francione, the father of the Abolitionist Approach to Veganism was hosting and presenting at this fabulous event.  It was an incredible eye-opener in so many ways. As long time animal advocates we felt compelled to use our voice and share with the panel and the audience our thoughts on why humans complicate such simple matters as GOING VEGAN.

This was an event hosted by Catholic Concern for Animals in direct response to Pope Francis's recent encyclical letter on the religious implications of animals and the environment. Not all of the participants and speakers were catholics, including ourselves, but used the Pope's letter as a foundation and a starting point for further conversation. It was a wonderful opportunity for Bill and myself to have our thoughts and opinions heard.

We have high hopes that among 1.5 billion catholics there could be a huge increase in veganism which is desperately needed. Back in the time of Copernicus, most would have thought it impossible if you said that you were going to convince everyone that the Earth revolved around the Sun, rather than the other way around, but it did eventually happen!  So, the past teaches us to have hope for the future.

In our 90 years combined teaching Bill and I have high hope we can all come together and make a better world, a VEGAN WORLD where humans and non-humans alike live in harmony. Success can only be achieved through education, understanding and ultimately action.

It’s Not Difficult To Be Vegan
Going vegan is simply a choice you make. Many people live in their head and over think the concept of where to begin. It’s easy, you remove all the animal food and replace with delicious plant-based foods, the choice is yours. You can do it right now.

We Are All One
When we reflect deeply on our relationship with the outer world, our environment, we realise that we are never independent of its influences. Food is the link between the inside and the outside world. Our Human Ecology Diet is abundant in every vitamin and mineral required for good health, vitality and longevity. Our vision with MACROVegan  is to continue to share our passion for a vegan world.

How to Rethink Protein Once and For All 
Protein is a subject that always comes up when discussing veganism. When you think of the biggest animals on the planet, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, these are huge mammals, they don’t eat meat, so where do they get their protein? They eat what grows out of the ground and that is where they get their protein; it’s as simple as that. There are many foods in the plant kingdom that are especially rich in protein. All the legume family, anything that is grown in a pod, lentils, beans, chickpeas, wholegrains are full of protein, and many vegetables are rich in protein too.

Protein Is In Everything: Vegan Athletes Are Renowned For Their Athletic Excellence.
If you are getting enough calories from wholefoods, such as grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, seeds, nuts, fruits, you will obtain your requirement of protein easily and in a healthful way because the protein is in the bean, in the lentil, in the wholegrain. A healthy diet rejects the animal products as well as the highly processed and sugary foods that flood the marketplace.
Protein deficiency is not an issue on a vegan diet. That’s not the problem, there are plenty of amino acids, plenty of protein on a plant-based diet. In fact, the health crisis exists because people are eating way too much protein, which in fact injure your arteries and your kidneys as it leaches calcium out of your bones. The solution is eating a diverse diet and not just focusing on two or three foods.

Eating a plant-based vegan diet does not mean living on processed foods, sweets or sugary drinks. You must eat FOOD AS GROWN to receive the adequate protein you need daily. Corn on the cob is one thing, corn chips are different, potatoes are a wholefood, and potato crisps are not. In our decades of health counselling, Bill and I have yet to meet someone with a protein deficiency. Only those starving to death are deficient in protein. If you are going to be adopting a wholefood plant-based diet, there are some things you must do properly.  It’s not just a matter of eating snack foods or processed fake ‘meats’ and burgers, and think you are going to be healthy.

Plants are high energy foods, it’s good to note that an increasing number of athletes are switching to a vegan diet. Recent winners of long distance events like triathlons, marathons, and bicycle events are eating a vegan diet. Even professional footballers like Lionel Messi have made the switch. They know that they suffer fewer injuries and recover their energy better by eating plants.

Exciting Facts About Making Vegan Choices

• Vegetables are easy to grow, any gardener can grow potatoes, carrots, greens etc., and they are inexpensive, rice and beans are also not expensive, (especially when you buy in bulk).
• Animal meat is not required to build muscle or bone. These are mythologies that are based on limited science and the livestock and dairy industry.
• Plants are lower on the food chain, the environmental pollutants that are so prevalent in our food are in low concentrations in your plant-based foods. Animals that are eaten are fed food grown with pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers and drink water exposed to industrial pollution. These contaminants are stored in the fatty tissue of the animal. They can concentrate 1000 fold as they go up the food chain. This concentration of toxic products affects all animals on land or at sea.
• Plants are environmentally friendly. You can grow 17 times more nutritional energy on a piece of land with vegetables than you can with animal food. The difference between growing potatoes and raising beef is 100-fold.
• We are all living on a planet that is food stressed. There is a real risk of food shortages.We need to grow more food and healthy food. There are near to one billion people (our brothers and sisters) starving to death, while nearly one billion people are eating themselves to death. 85% of non-communicable diseases are dietary related.
• Vegetables don’t grow microbes, they don’t grow e-coli, they don’t grow mad cow’s disease, they don’t grow listeria. If a vegetable or grain does have a contaminant on it, then it originated from an animal. Animal faeces are a major agricultural pollutant.
• Vegetables taste amazing. Sweet potatoes, fresh corn on the cob, rice, etc., because they are full of natural sugars and you have taste buds on the tip of your tongue that taste sugar.
• Vegetables store well, you can dry and store potatoes for 10 years. Rice, beans, grains store in a cool place for years.
• Plant based foods are easy to travel with.
• Wholefoods (not processed junk food) are great foods for weight loss. Remember, they have no fat.
• Everything that breathes wants to live, Please GOVEGAN and love all of life

Follow our MACROVegan dietary guidelines here For A List Of Nutrient Sources

Complex Carbohydrates
Whole Grains, Beans, Vegetables, Fruits
Proteins
Beans, Seeds, Nuts, Whole Grains, Seaweeds
Fat
Seeds, Nuts, Oils, Beans, Tofu, Tempeh,
Calcium
Dark Greens (Kale, Collards, etc.), Soybeans, Seaweeds, Seeds
Iron
Dark Greens, Seaweeds, Millet, Lentils, Garbanzo Beans, Seeds
Vitamin A
Dark Leafy Greens, Carrots, Squashes, Seaweeds
B Vitamins
Whole Grains, Sea Vegetables, Lentils, Fermented Foods
Vitamin B12
Fortified Foods, Nutritional Yeast etc., B12 supplementation
Vitamin C
Dark Greens (Kale, Parsley, Broccoli, etc.), Local Fruits
Vitamin E
Whole Grains, Unrefined Oils, Seeds, Leafy Greens
Trace Minerals
Sea Salt, Seaweeds, Organic Produce
Ingredients List for A Healthy Transition to A MACROVegan Diet
Instead of:                              Use:
Baked goods                           Sugar and dairy-free cookies, muffins,                       
White bread                           Wholegrain, sourdough bread or sprouted bread
Cheese                                      Nutritional yeast, roasted tofu products, 
Meat                                          Beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh
Meat stock                              Miso, miso bouillon, dulse or vegetable stock
Milk                                           Rice, oat or almond milk
Pasta dishes                           Wholewheat, rice or spelt pasta, udon or soba noodles
Iodised Salt                             Natural sea salt
White rice                                Short grain brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet, buckwheat
Sugar                                         Brown rice syrup, barley malt or maple syrup
Scrambled eggs                     Tofu, (scrambles well)
Setting Up Your Kitchen!
There are some essentials you need in the kitchen in order to make vegan cooking easy and delicious.

The Essentials:

• A sharp knife
• A stainless-steel wok, saucepans and soup pot
• Cutting board
• Steamer basket or bamboo steamer
• Hand Blender
• Strainer
• Wooden spoons
• Mixing bowls

Stock Your Cupboard With:

• A variety of grains
• A variety of beans, dried
• Canned organic beans
• Dried sea vegetables
• A variety of noodles
• Sweeteners: rice syrup, barley malt, maple syrup
• Whole wheat, corn or spelt tortillas
• Dried fruit
• Seeds and nuts
• All-fruit jams

For Your Refrigerator
A colourful array of vegetables for daily use is key to a healthy vegan diet.

You Will Save Money Being A Vegan
There is a huge misconception that it is expensive to eat this way. On the contrary, we hear from so many of our students and clients that they have saved up to 40% on their groceries since becoming vegan.

Making Vegan – The New Normal Is Our Mission
Vegan For:

The Animals
World Huger
Wildlife
Peace
The Rainforest
Our Health
Our Planet
EVERYTHING

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world
Nelson Mandela

Recipes To Get You Started
Roasted Squash & Sweet Potato Soup
4 cups filtered water
1 organic stock cube
1 large sweet potato
1 butternut squash
Sea salt
4-5 cloves garlic
1 large onion, finely diced
Toasted flaked almonds for garnish

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375°. Mix the stock with 4 cups of boiling water and set aside. Cut the sweet potato and squash in half lengthways.  Sprinkle the cut sides with a little sea salt and spritz with a little water. Place the vegetables cut side-down in a parchment lined shallow roasting tin.  Add the garlic cloves (in their paper).  Place in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
When the vegetables are cool, scoop out the flesh from the potato and squash, peel the garlic and add the cloves to a saucepan with the stock along with the vegetables and the diced onion.  Bring to a boil covered, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a high-speed blender or hand blender, puree until smooth. Ladle into warm bowls and serve garnished with some flaked almonds.

Hearty Brown Lentil Soup
2 cups peeled butternut squash cut into bite size cubes
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
3 cups cooked brown lentils
1 tbsp. organic tomato paste
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried rosemary, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh ginger juice
Natural soy sauce to taste

Preheat the oven to 200/400deg. Put the squash into a large bowl and add a few drops of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and some dried rosemary or thyme. Place the squash on a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the edges are crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Sauté the shallots and garlic in a little stock or water then add the lentils and 1 tbsp. organic tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes.  Add celery and carrots, fresh thyme and the stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.  Stir in the fresh parsley, lemon juice and ginger juice.  Add natural soy sauce to taste, approximately one tablespoon is adequate. Serve in warmed bowls topped with some of the caramelized squash.

MACROVegan Nutritional Tip
Lentils are one of the oldest known sources of food dating back more than 9,000 years.
Lentils contain the highest amount of protein originating from any plant. The amount of protein found in lentils is up to 35%, which is comparable to red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. Lentils contain carbohydrates. They are a good source of dietary fibre and have a low number of calories. Another excellent way to have lentils is after they have sprouted because sprouted lentils contain methionine and cysteine. These two amino acids are very significant in muscle-building and strengthening of our body.
Please join us in service for a healthy world for humans and non-humans alive. Everything that breathes wants to live. Thank You.

In good health

Sprouting Seeds And Beans

Eating bio-sprouts and Microgreens brings a powerhouse of nutrients to your dinner plate.  Microgreens are simply greens, lettuces, and herbs that are harvested when they are quite young, generally when they are approximately an inch tall.
I receive many enquiries from people asking me how to grow their own Microgreens.

My sprouting class is literally bursting at the seams with information and demonstrations. You will learn to sprout, to cook and understand the dynamics of creating strong blood. This in turn will give you good health.
Basically, you can grow any lettuce, salad green, or herb as a microgreen. It’s easy to start with a pre-packaged seed mix, and you can look for specific micro green mixes, or simply choose a mesclun mix to grow as microgreens. However for this blog I will focus more on sprouting. So easy to do, and readily affordable for everyone.  My alfalfa sprouts took only 6 days to be ready.  In a strainer, wash the seeds with fresh water, add to the sprouter and rinse twice a day.  I normally do this in the morning at breakfast then in the evening after dinner.

SPROUTS ARE EASY TO GROW

Time to Get Sprouting!

My Sprouter is in constant use.

 

I have been an advocate of sprouting seeds for many decades. Even during the winter months, I continue to use my sprouter. Mung beans, alfalfa, broccoli seeds and lentils are all easy to sprout. You can add them to just about anything from juicing, to soups, to salads and grain dishes. It’s always good to remember that you are what you absorb. Enzymes are the catalyst to proper food absorption. Living foods are loaded with live, active enzymes.

For an energy boost, enzyme-rich living foods feed the cells, nourish the organs, tone the blood, regulate the bowels and support immunity. Thus, living foods can help you beat fatigue and will make your skin glow.

For Prevention

Add living foods in your diet on a regular basis.

This will render you better equipped to prevent and combat the cold. There have been hundreds of research studies that support the use of living foods for optimum health.

For Weight Control

Living foods can help you manage your weight. This is because enzymes spark metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories). It is almost impossible to have weight issues if you eat a balanced diet that includes living foods such as sprouted seeds, fresh raw fruits and vegetables (weather permitting), seeds, seaweeds, wholegrains and legumes.

For Detox

Living foods are ideal for detoxifying the system. They are also rich in fibre. Fibre helps lower blood fat levels and removes toxic metals, such as lead and cadmium from the body.

For a Calm Tummy

Many people who eat living foods are free from the stomach acid secretions that cause heartburn and indigestion, since living foods are balancing to the body’s alkalinity.

For Anti-Ageing

Slow down the ageing process. Enzymes, being the catalysts to all physical processes, also help spark regeneration and healing that keeps ageing at bay.

For Your Brain

Living foods help nourish brain cells, boost concentration and render clear thinking.

For Nutrients 

My Delicious Sprouted Lentils

Living foods are nutrient-efficient as they are eaten raw. Sprouting seeds are thus, most beneficial to the blood cells. Living foods are enzyme power-houses. By eating them, you help maintain your own enzyme reserves and can more easily eliminate toxins, rejuvenate your cells and strengthen your system. They have always been an addition to my cooked food. I have listed below a few Living Sprouts, Living Essentials and Living Greens that I use on a regular basis.

LIVING GREENS

Jade Green Zymes – Barley Grass. Gram for gram, barley grass has as much protein as meat but in an easily digested form. In its sprouted form, this living green provides SOD (Superoxide dismutase), a key antioxidant enzyme, that helps protect cells from free radical attack. Barley grass is beneficial to all tissues and organs, especially the heart, lungs, arteries, joints and bones.

Alfalfa. A live plant which nourishes the blood and maintains metabolism. It contains just about every nutrient in existence, including live enzymes to metabolise fat, cellulose and starch. Alfalfa sprouts support health of the spleen, stomach and intestines.

Dulse. Mineral-rich sea vegetable with particularly high levels of minerals, specifically associated with enzyme activity in the body.

LIVING ESSENTIALS

Radish, Daikon. It has a characteristic spicy and bitter taste. It is rich in potassium and is a very good stimulator of the intestinal bacterial flora. Suitable for cases of lack of appetite and intestinal fermentation.

Essential Fatty Acids. Essential fatty acids influence the function of every organ, gland and cell of the human body. Fatty acids play a role in many body processes including those of the heart and circulatory systems, the glandular system (including the adrenal and thyroid glands), the reproductive system, and skin and cell tissues.

Nori. The most easily digested sea vegetable with dozens of minerals and vitamins, and particularly high in Vitamins A, B1 and Niacin. Due to its elevated levels of important fatty acids, nori may help maintain low cholesterol levels and influence the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems.

LIVING SPROUTS

Sprouted Quinoa. Quinoa helps support the kidneys. In its sprouted form, Quinoa contains gram for gram more calcium than milk and more useable protein than meat. It is the most nutrient-dense grain with high levels of iron, phosphorous, Vitamin E and Vitamin B Complex.

Sprouted Millet. This sprouted grain is easy to digest and is free from gluten, a common allergen. Millet, especially in its sprouted form, can help nourish the spleen, the main organ responsible for extracting nutrients from food and converting it to energy. Millet is high in iron, magnesium, and silicon, which builds cell tissue for healthy bones, hair, skin and nails.

Living sprouts provides useable and digestible nutrients and enzymes. Live Enzymes are responsible for digesting food, dissolving fat, absorbing nutrients, reproduction, and scavenging free radicals.

Invest in your own sprout germinator. The sprouter I have is easy and fun to use, with three tiers so you can grow different seeds at the same time or harvest them on different days. I sprout mung beans, alfalfa, adzuki beans and lentils constantly and use them to sprinkle in soups and salads or enjoy them throughout the day as a snack.

In Good Health,

Probiotics Are Key to A Healthy Microbiome

Give Your Microbiome A Makeover

My Vegan 'Wellness' Revolution

My Vegan 'Wellness' Revolution

As a life long advocate of health and wellness; (working as a 12 year old after school) merchandising the grains, beans and pulses in our local food store, (I think counts!!!!). As a 60 year old woman, I feel the same excitement about my life as I did sorting through all the beans and grains in the store.
The other day I came across a photograph of myself taken in the early 80's when I was teaching Aerobics and  it made me laugh out loud. With matching headband, leg warmers and lycra to die for!!! I thought I was the cat's pyjamas!!  Was that another addition to the start of my 'wellness revolution' phase I wonder? Getting people interested in health and not sickness, being a voice for our animal kingdom and doing what I can to heal our environment is what makes me tick.

When I commenced my studies in Traditional Chinese medicine, (which continue to this day), it opened up another world to me in terms of what I had been teaching in natural healthcare. There is one other difference between the Wellness Revolution and conventional health care. Much of what inspires the work done in wellness is a respect for ancient systems of understanding the body. It is interesting that centuries ago there was an understanding of how we work that can give us valuable insight into today’s problems.

Moving my body every day is something I have never perceived as a chore. I am very fortunate to have taught many different aspects of physical fitness from a young age which eventually led me to teaching 'ChiBall' which I absolutely love.  My new dvd 'Stretchcraft' with ChiBall will be available later this year.
In India, China, Japan and other Asian countries, there was a very sophisticated appreciation of how the body worked. This system was based on recorded observations of sickness and health over centuries. What these ancients saw was that all the physical parts of the body – the bones, the organs, the tissue – comprised energy. Pretty neat. They knew what we now know, the body is a swirling sea of bioelectric energy.
They called this energy by different names – Chi, Ki, Prana – but they were describing the same thing. They knew that we are part of nature and that health is achieved when that natural exchange with our environment is balanced. The study of this exchange relative to health is called Energy Medicine.
When the flow of energy is blocked, we get sick. I always tell my students to keep their “valves wide open”, to be open to life. They sometimes laugh but they know it’s true. I used to sign off on my answering machine by saying, “Keep your valves wide open”. No matter what life throws at us, it is important to try and remember that 'keeping our energy flowing' is of paramount importance. If we remain static, we stay stuck.
To remain in balance we need to look at different areas in our life and what we eat on a day to day basis contributes greatly to that. Eating in the zone as I like to call it by adopting a wholefoods plant based diet is the way forward for health.  We eat from the environment, we are part of the environment and we must remember that, we are not separate. We are one. We are killing the soil with chemicals and pesticides. Soil and man are not separate.  I ask you all to please support those who work so hard in the organic food industry.  We need a revolution to save our planet, alleviate the suffering of our animal kingdom and create healthy humans. The world is so sick, how can we heal our world with such an epidemic of disease? Healthy people create a healthy world, sick people create a sick world.

In my book 'Macrobiotics for all Seasons' you will find over 200 recipes, home remedies and medicinal teas to keep you in the zone..... available worldwide on amazon and book stores or downloadable from our online store.
I look forward to seeing you all at the 'revolution'.
In good health

Spring Cleanse & Detox

 

Spring Recipes & Liver Tonics

Never in modern history has there been such an interest in food and at the same time, such a lack of confidence in the basic quality of food. In my four decades of teaching I see the mass confusion around diet and nutrition escalating each year. Change today for a better tomorrow. If you want to change your future health you need to change your present health to one than enlivens you daily. Join my living with the seasons cooking class this month here in Esher. 

MACROVegan Spring Menu Cooking Class - Saturday 31st March 11.00a.m. to 3.00p.m
Spiced Carrot & Tahini Soup with Shelled Hemp
Almond Mung Bean Burgers Topped with Vegan Mayonnaise & Onion Butter
Caramelised Baked Pumpkin
Ume Radish Pickles, Fresh Salad Greens & Living Sprouts
Stewed Apples with Oat Cream

The following newsletter is for your reference. Our students find this format very helpful as many of them are health coaches, therapists and counsellors. It lets them see how I run my own business combining ChiBall and Macrobiotics with my Vegan Advocacy Work. It’s a great way to educate and broaden your client base. I make specific dietary recommendations for each season. I also offer a few recipes and medicinal teas for health and vitality for the organs relating to each season and combine that with the relevant ChiBall session.

Living with the Seasons: The Wood Element: 

Corresponding Organs – Liver/Gallbladder

As we start our journey through the spring with the Wood Element of ‘Living with the Seasons’ I do hope that you have found greater energy levels over these past winter months when you have visited my ‘Chi Studio’.   It is such a wonderful way to live. Letting nature set us an example by showing us how to work with the extremes of the seasons keeps us strong and healthy.  Many of you have reported to me that you have come through winter with no colds, flu, sore throats or chest infections. Need I say more?  When we constantly discharge the excess from our bodies it rewards us with good health.  Keeping our immune systems strong with the nourishing seasonal food we eat allows us to live our lives to our full potential.

Longer days, rising temperatures, daffodils and new buds on the trees and bushes is an indication that spring has arrived.  It is a time of new growth and seeing nature’s energy rising.  This is called the ‘Wood Element’.  The main theme of Chiball will be meridian related paying special attention to the liver and gallbladder meridians. Spring is the ideal time to cleanse (not only your closets) your body.
Outside power walking is a great way to give your metabolism a boost and help remove any winter pounds you may have gathered around the middle during the months that the kidneys required for more heat. Chiball Yoga will be focused on stretching the liver and gallbladder meridians.

Cleaner lighter diet, stir-fry vegetables in water or vegetable broth, zero oil, detoxify, drink kombu/shitake tea, dried daikon soup and remove alcohol, and coffee they overwhelm the liver. Drink filtered water, kukicha or green sencha tea, available from our friends at Clearspring UK.

When you rise in the morning it is important to ‘hydrate your cells with water’. We lose approximately half a cup of water each night when we sleep.  The cells need hydrated when we awaken to start a new day.  I suggest to all my students and clients they embrace my format of drinking two glasses of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Avoid drinking whilst eating as it dilutes the digestive enzymes.  We produce less hydrochloric acid as we age so we must support our stomach by hydrating before eating otherwise the body leaches water from other areas.  When we are born, we are like juicy plums, as we age we can resemble a dried-up prune.  It’s important to nourish the yin fluids for slowing the ageing process.

It’s crucial to remember that the brain is 80% water, so you will feel more alert when you give the body what it needs. This is a wonderful way to clean out your liver which is the main organ responsible for processing toxins that enter your system. Your liver gets tired.
If you are eating heavy foods and drinking more alcohol than usual, your liver will start to get overburdened and you may experience: sluggishness, bloating, gas, diarrhoea, indigestion, depression, irregular menstruation, headaches, fits of anger, tense muscles, and believe it or not many more symptoms than those I just mentioned!

The cleansing Mung Bean Soup below is a great way to give your liver a break and get you back on track.
Eat More: Fruit and vegetables in season, sunflower, sesame seeds, vegetable soups, green soups, your body will love the antioxidants and chlorophyll which is the lifeblood of the plant.   Eat wholegrain brown rice, as well as lighter wholegrain like bulgur, and quinoa salads with loads of spring greens, fresh herbs, (keep up with your porridge) made from leftover short grain brown rice or make a fresh batch daily. Have miso soup daily or try my delicious homemade breakfast granola with rice milk.  Green lentil soup on the side with a tempeh sandwich made on sourdough bread is a perfect plate for spring. Using rocket, sauerkraut and some tofu mayonnaise to make a delicious sandwich is one of Bill’s favourites.

Eat foods as near to their natural state as possible.  This is the time to sprout seeds in abundance, particularly mung beans which aid in cleansing the liver. As always, sea vegetables should be a part of your daily diet using dishes like Hijiki or Arame sauté and using kombu seaweed as the base for soup stocks. Follow the seasonal guide in my book Macrobiotics for all Season You will find a downloadable version of my book in our online store.

Remove:
Dairy – (milk, butter, yoghurt, cheese), all meat including fish, eggs, sugar (sweets, cakes and puddings), white rice, white bread, processed ready-made meals

Go Green
Barley Grass being (a green food) is the perfect addition to your spring diet, it’s the best I know of as it delivers enzymes which helps to aid in the absorption of your food. Chewing well is of paramount importance.  I cannot stress this enough.  When most clients I see with digestive problems relearn the ‘art’ of chewing many of their problems disappear.
Thinking as always about disease prevention and keeping your insides sparkling clean particularly at this time of year (liver) will put a ‘spring’ in your step.   If we adhere to what nature is showing us about regeneration and take that on-board internally I guarantee you that your energy will soar to new heights.  It is unnecessary to do ‘hard-core’ liver cleanses if you constantly discharge the excess. The crazy cleansers I see on the internet are too harsh on the liver.  Our health is priceless; invest in your own health and connect with the vital energy within.

Drink Your Greens
Marlene’s Garden in a Glass
Every morning during the first 21 days of spring make yourself a ‘green juice’.  Green juices, made from a variety of green vegetables have a rejuvenating effect on the body because they are rich in chlorophyll (the lifeblood of the plant), which helps to purify the blood, build red blood cells, detoxify the body and provide fast energy.  Green juice is the perfect fuel for your body.

Its high-water content means it is easily assimilated and it contains the whole vegetable except for the fibre, which is the indigestible part of the plant.
Green juice, therefore, provides all the healthful ingredients in a form that is easy to absorb and digest.  Here is just one option, feel free to experiment with your own ideas –

1 carrot
1 cucumber
4 celery stalks
1 fennel stalk
Some spinach leaves
A tiny piece of root ginger
2 sprigs parsley
A handful of alfalfa sprouts (optional)
Put all the ingredients in a juicer and add the alfalfa sprouts before drinking.
You could also add one teaspoon of a superfood green powder.  I use barley grass. (Green Zymes) each spring.

Step into spring with Marlene’s Mung Bean Soup.
It doesn't take much time to cook mung beans. They are done in about 30 -45 minutes. I love this thick and hearty soup. Serves 3-4 people.
1 cup mung beans
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled, cut lengthwise and then sliced into half-moon shapes
2 tbsp. organic tomato paste
1 tsp. cumin
Sea salt, grounded pepper and red pepper flake to taste (all optional)

Wash the beans and transfer them into a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to boil and simmer until beans are cooked.  Meanwhile, sauté the onions in a little water for about 5 minutes and then add the carrots, let the carrots cook for 10 minutes on low heat.  Add the tomato paste, spices and mix into the vegetables. Transfer into the saucepan with boiled beans; add enough water to cover the beans.
Bring to low simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

A Note on This Miraculous Cleansing Food:
Mung beans are originally from India but long ago became a part of Chinese cuisine and medicine; this is a cleansing food which falls into Chinese medicine traditions. Mung beans are cooling, sweet, beneficial to the liver and gallbladder, and nourish yin (the fluids of the body). Usually, mung beans are used in the summertime to cool hot conditions and keep the body regulated, but they can also be used to cool hot conditions or liver-related toxicity during other times of the year.

As we still many have cold days in the spring, the best way to use mung beans is in soups or by sprouting them.  Leave the mung bean juice for summer time. As you all know cold foods and raw foods in the colder weather can overburden your digestive system.

Spring Tonic Tea
Daikon, Shitake and Kombu Drink
This is a wonderful spring tonic as it helps the liver to open up and discharge smoothly.
1 dried shitake mushroom
½ cup dried daikon
1 x inch strip Kombu seaweed
3 cups spring water

Place the shitake, dried daikon and Kombu in a small pot and then cover with water. Leave to soak for about 30 minutes. Slice the mushroom, add the water, cover and bring to a boil on a medium flame.  Reduce the flame and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.  Remove and discard the ingredients.  Drink the tea whilst hot.
Note: you can also add a half cup of leafy green vegetables such as kale, cabbage or watercress.  Add the chopped leafy greens at the end and simmer for a further 2 or 3 minutes.

EXTRA TIPS

Start sprouting your seeds, mung beans, lentils, alfalfa, broccoli and chickpeas.

No ice with the water.  Drink your water as close to room temperature as possible.  Try dry skin brushing before having a shower, (it is wonderful) you will have skin so smooth and at the same time remove the mucus from your body.  This is a wonderful way to stimulate and cleanse the lymphatic system which is part of the immune system.

How to Keep in Balance
Alleviate stress by exercising regularly and making time to take enough rest and relaxation. Try and not hold on to anger (the corresponding emotion for the imbalance in the liver).
Remain in control, focus on the breathing exercises that you have learned over the last year. Have a healthy and enjoyable spring clean and keep smiling.

Remember it takes 42 muscles to frown ONLY 4 to smile!!!!!

Thank you for your interest in my work.

In good health

 
 

Private Vegan Cooking Classes in Surrey & Greater London

Come to my Godalming base or invite me to your kitchen to design your menu and teach you how to cook delicious plant-based vegan meals. 

Healthy food doesn’t need to be boring or tasteless. Learn to prepare beautifully presented and delicious healthy meals using fresh, natural ingredients. My introductory whole food plant-based cooking and nutrition classes are designed for people who would like to cook healthy wholefood dishes for themselves and their families.

I am an international author Macrobiotic teacher, chef and health counsellor and a graduate in plant-based nutrition. I have spent the last decade teaching and cooking for private clients in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland as well as training students and chefs the art and skill of macrobiotic and vegan cooking and counselling. My classes are educational, fun and skill oriented.

Health Counselling and dietary recommendations are also available in combination with your cooking sessions
Be good to yourself and the planet! Learn how tasteful, invigorating and fun healthy gourmet plant-based cooking can be! I am hailed as a teacher of inspiring vegan cooking classes that help participants understand the relationship between food and health and contribute to positive lifestyle changes.
During each of my classes, you will learn to fashion delightful dinners and lunches using my unique fusion of European, Mediterranean, and Japanese Cooking styles. You will also learn knife skills, cutting styles and cooking dishes for the seasons. My wealth of knowledge spans four decades of teaching.
 
Be ahead of the curve and #govegan for humans and non-humans alike. As a healthy vegan for many decades, avoiding many of the processed junk foods that many vegans eat is the key to success. I will put you on the right path to health with my educational classes and cooking sessions.  
Check out our MACROVegan TV Channel here where you will find many of my friends and colleagues. All of them share their decades of research to help guide you towards a life free of disease. 

Please contact me for costs and availability.

I look forward to meeting you soon.
In good health

ChiBall Yoga Surrey & Central London

ChiBall Yoga @ MACROVegan

Personal Classes with Marlene Delivered In Your Home
Yoga Mats & ChiBalls Provided 
ChiBall is a holistic mind-body wellbeing programme which uniquely combines the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Colour and Aroma Therapies and a synergy of six ancient and modern exercise modalities to promote harmony, balance and wellbeing.
Through the disciplines of Tai Chi-Qi Gong, ChiBall Dance, Yoga, Pilates, Feldenkrais Method and Deep Relaxation and Meditation the healing nature of the programme is focused through the medium of 6" diameter coloured ChiBalls each infused with different mood-enhancing essential oils.
By tailoring the ChiBall Method to the natural cycle of The Seasons, both teachers and students journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle with their mind and body in harmony with the world around them.  ChiBall can be understood in a day, learnt in a week, but offers a lifetime of discovery.
What are the Principles of ChiBall™?
ChiBall is a balanced mind/body health and fitness concept based on TCM, colour and aromatherapy, and incorporates six main movement modalities:
There are four main concepts within Traditional Chinese Medicine that explain all aspects of life: -
Chi – Chi is our vital energy.  Chi can be depleted or become excessive through poor eating habits, poor lifestyle and negative emotions.  If the balance of Chi becomes irregular, disharmony occurs.  Stress and tension are the primary cause of the depletion of Chi.   Exercise followed by deep relaxation is an excellent way to re-balance the body, rejuvenate and consolidate Chi.
Yin and Yang – Yin and Yang are complementary opposite states of energy that are in constant motion, striving to achieve balance in all things.  Like nature the body is constantly moving, transforming and changing.  Imbalance occurs when there is resistance to this natural ebb and flow, causing an excess or deficiency of either Yin or Yang.
 The Meridians – The Meridians are invisible pathways within the body through which the life force flows to our internal organs.  An imbalance in one or more of these meridians weakens the entire body.  The internal organs are in a dynamic partnership with the meridian system, one of which is yin (the storage organs) and the other being yang (the hollow processing organs).  If a meridian is blocked it manifests as disharmony within the associated organ which can lead to disease and illness.
 The Five Elements of Nature – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water are five movements within nature through which the yin and yang energies are expressed.  Each element correlates with the five internal organ partnerships and the seasons having many unique characteristics that are direct reflections of all nature.  Our goal is to align our body’s energy and our life’s activities with these patterns of nature.
Our emotional state, diet and lifestyle are all important factors that build our distinct picture of health.  By studying these unique characteristics and associations, a practitioner of Chinese medicine can interpret our individual disharmonies, creating a map, which leads to a healthy state of balance.
According to Chinese Medicine, each season has a unique energy and purpose.  Spring has a rising energy and stimulates new growth and opportunities.  Summer has a radiant, dispersing and hot, vibrant energy.  Late summer, when we harvest the fruits of summer the energy is descending, nourishing and centering.  Autumn is a time to gather in and store for winter.  It is also a good time to clear clutter and make space for the hibernating nature of the season to follow.  The fifth season of Winter is a time for quiet reflection, stillness and inner contentment.
Our internal organs and body systems also resonate with each seasonal energy.  During each season the organs more or less present themselves for an annual service of internal cleansing and healing.  Exercises that move, massage, stimulate and stretch the organs and meridian channels have a deeply tonifying effect and with regular practice, can help us sustain a more balanced and harmonious state of health throughout the year.
The Chi Ball Exercises are based on the following five principles:
Traditional Chinese Medicine for energy, internal health and the concept of balance (Tai Chi and Chi Gong) is used to generate energy, mobility and flexibility using vigorous to gentle, slow, continuous movement patterns which aid detoxification and oxygen supply to the muscles.
Yoga increases strength, flexibility, concentration, balance and self-awareness.
Pilates develops core strength, supports the spine, stabilises the pelvis and increases the mobility of the joints.
Feldenkrais Technique, to teach us about relaxation and effortless movement patterns of childhood and cultivate the art of listening and letting go.
Deep Relaxation induces calmness of mind and body through deep breathing, visualisation techniques and meditation.
ChiBall strives to allow each participant to develop his or her own individual sense of well-being, balance and self-awareness so that they may lead a more satisfying way of life. I look forward to teaching you soon. In good health.
All classes are 1 hr 15minutes - Prices quoted are for 1 on 1 or (2 on 1) for couples
Monthly package 1 x weekly class      £80 x 4            = £320
Monthly package 2 x weekly classes £70 x 8            = £560
Monthly package 3 x weekly classes £60 x 12          = £720
*Add Plant-Based Nutrition & Cooking Classes or Health Consultation (POA)
Area covered - Surrey and Central London
In good health


 

Vegan & Macrobiotic Cooking Classes: Greater London & Surrey

Vegan & Macrobiotic Cooking Classes: Greater London & Surrey

The world at large is moving more and more towards a plant-based diet and a vegan way of life. As a long time vegan, this makes my heart sing with joy. The vanguard of modern nutrition now agrees that plant-based diets are not only better for our health but are far superior to animal-based diets.  My joy is to be able to share my work with so many who come to learn the basics of cooking and eating a delicious array of dishes.  They are in awe of the absolute delicious tastes and variations that they are introduced to at my cooking classes and workshops.
The key to success is using a variety of wholegrain, beans, vegetables from land and sea, seeds, nuts, fruits and delicious condiments such as pickled and pressed vegetables.

Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter Vegan Cooking Classes in London & Surrey with International Author & Teacher Marlene Watson-Tara

I am a health expert with four decades of teaching. As the international author of Macrobiotics for all Seasons, I will bring you back to nature's way of eating.  You not only feel natural you become naturally better in every way.  Seeing is believing.  I teach a user-friendly common sense approach to understand food.  My classes are fun and informative.  We will cook together, eat lunch together and enjoy some educational lectures and presentations. In the meantime, you can start enjoying my recipes immediately.
I look forward to meeting you all and sharing my decades of experience to enhance your health, wellbeing and longevity.
In good health

 

The Power of Sea Vegetables

We all know that seaweeds purify and maintain the ecological balance of the ocean. They can perform the same purification process on your body too. Seaweed is said to possess an electrolytic magnetic action and so releases excess body fluids from the congested cells, dissipating fatty wastes through the skin pores. In addition, they also replace depleted minerals such as potassium and iodine, boosting thyroid activity and help to maintain adrenal regulation and hormone balance. Clients who enrol in my 'Natural Woman Programme' are introduced to the incredible benefits of adding seaweeds to their diet.

For Love of the Sea……..Vegetables - I am known as Marlene the Mermaid. Much to the amusement of my friends, I discovered the power of seaweeds at a very young age. I am so passionate about teaching all and sundry that seaweed will become the catalyst for real change in your health and life. 

Therapeutic Properties of Seaweed

Seaweed therapy is also recommended by its proponents for those affected by insomnia or sleep apnoea. By improving the quality of sleep, it automatically enhances your immunity levels and helps you feel relaxed and fresh. Adding seaweed to your diet can help minimize cellulite development on the skin by purifying it and giving your body a healthy toned look.
Seaweeds are simple, elegant natural foods that will nourish your body. Seaweed dishes are quick and easy to make and taste delicious.  With an array of dressings to choose from you will be spoiled for choice.   These ancient superfoods are loaded with nutrition! In fact, the phytonutrients present in them are so concentrated that you only need to eat a small amount to get their health benefits

Why Seaweeds Rock?

In a nutshell, Seaweeds are nature’s secret for a long and healthy life. What is more, the minerals in sea vegetables exist in a chelated, colloidal form that makes them readily 'bioavailable' for use in crucial bodily functions…….(in plain English) this simply means they are easier to digest and absorb.
Population studies show that people with a regular intake of sea vegetables show few symptoms of mineral depletion and the longevity of the people of Okinawa is believed to be partially due to their regular consumption of sea vegetables.  Over the last few decades, medical researchers have discovered that a diet rich in sea vegetables reduces the risk of some diseases and helps the body eliminate toxins.

Sea Vegetable Consumption

The consumption of sea vegetables has a long history throughout the world and the health benefits of consuming seaweed were recognized over 3000 years ago particularly in Asia, where marine algae are still prized for their nutritional content.  It is thus clear that sea vegetables have long been important to humans for food and other uses and are not just a modern health fad.  Sea vegetables have traditionally been used in Asia to treat cancer, heart disease and thyroid problems. Japanese being the greatest consumers of seaweeds, most seaweed or sea vegetable varieties are best known by Japanese names. Clearspring Foods have the best variety and delicious tasting sea vegetables. I have always been impressed by their high standards and continued commitment to making available genuine organic foods that taste amazing. I recommend you acquire a taste for this incredible food source that will make for strong blood, bones and vascular health.

Health & Longevity 

Nori, Wakame, Kombu, Dulse, Arame, Hijiki, and Agar, all plants of the sea, are multicellular algae.  Some are green, others are brown, or red, or even translucent. What they all have in common, besides growing in seawater, is that they’re all very nutritious, very high in iodine, minerals, protein, and lignans, the plant compounds with cancer-protective properties.
I have been eating sea vegetables since my teens and over the past three decades, I have introduced these superfoods via my women’s health seminars that I teach in many countries around the world. I have always been hugely enthusiastic about spreading the word on the benefits of sea vegetables. 

First and foremost, because of the incredible results I know I have achieved with my own health by having seaweeds as part of my diet. I cannot emphasise the value of these foods enough. I wax lyrical about them to everyone because the health benefits of these foods for bone health alone is unbelievable. My vision is to see these amazing superstar foods advertised en masse and used in healthy snacks and treats will be the future of food. Why? Because the incredible turn around I see in women’s hormonal and health problems when I incorporate sea vegetables into their diet is tremendous. Food is our future and seaweed should be a part of soups, mains and desserts. 

Sea Vegetable Recipes

I receive many requests for sea vegetable recipes and as many questions asking to explain the health benefits, and how often to use them, my answer is little but often. I use a small amount daily because I know that the mineral-rich content from the seaweeds is creating strong blood. That blood creates my cells, these cells create my tissue, my tissue creates my organs and hey presto, I have a strong body with great vitality and have the energy of someone half my age. What’s not to love about that? You will find some delicious recipes using seaweed in my latest book Go Vegan. 
Varying your sea vegetables just like those from land will give you the full spectrum of what they have to offer. Having miso soup daily is the perfect start to incorporating sea vegetables into your diet. The delicious stock made with Kombu or wakame delivers a power-packed nutritional punch. Sea vegetables come in many varieties and they all offer something special to our health. Calcium-rich hijiki and arame, antioxidant-rich wakame/kombu/kelp, potassium-rich dulse and magnesium-rich nori are the most commonly used and easily found sea plants.

Gifts From The Ocean 

Nori used in sushi is rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, C, B2, and of course, iodine. Nori has the highest protein content 48% of dry weight and most easily digested of the seaweeds, rich in vitamins A, B1, and niacin, decreases cholesterol, high blood pressure, fatty cysts under the skin, warts, aids in digestion, especially with fried foods.
Wakame is another seaweed you might have encountered since its most commonly used in miso soup that is also served in Japanese restaurants. Wakame is high in B vitamins and essential fatty acids, which means it’s very good for your skin.  This incredible sea vegetable has an inhibitor of the substance that breaks down the collagen so this food helps keep the collagen strong. Silky in texture and rich in Vitamin A calcium, minerals, and fibre.  An amazing healthy food, it also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.
Kombu a brownish-green sea vegetable, is used to treat thyroid conditions and is very rich in minerals and folate. I always add a small piece of Kombu to the pot when I am cooking beans. Both Kombu and kelp are excellent added to beans, as the minerals help to balance the protein and oils in them and increase digestibility.  They also soften and break down tough fibres in beans and other foods cooked with them.
Dulse has a beautiful deep rosy-purple colour and is also commonly added to soups or, in a powder form, used as a thickening agent. It’s exceptionally high in iron, magnesium, beta carotene, and protein!  It’s also a delicious snack, roasted for a few minutes until crisp.
Arame is a mild tasting sea vegetable that can be added to salads and almost anything else you wish to try it with. The dark brownish strands are rich in calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, folate, and vitamins A, and K.
Hijiki has a cooling thermal nature is a natural diuretic, resolves heat induced phlegm, detoxifies the body, softens hardened tissue areas and masses, benefits the thyroid and moistens dryness.  I use Hijiki for menopausal issues with clients.  Hijiki also hosts an excellent source of calcium, iron, and iodine, richly supplied in vitamins B2 and niacin, helps normalize blood sugar level, aids in weight loss, builds bones and teeth, soothes nerves, and supports hormone functions.

The Skinny on Seaweeds
Benefits of Seaweed for Women’s Health

1. Harvard University has published a paper proposing that kelp (kombu and wakame) consumption might be a factor in the lower rates of breast cancer in Japan. They are now researching the effects of sea vegetables as a natural alternative to HRT. Sea vegetables are very high in lignans, plant substances that become phytoestrogens in the body, meaning that they help to block the chemical estrogens that can predispose people to cancers such as breast cancer.
2. Nutrient-rich seaweeds help to slow down the process of ageing via their rich mineral content. Studies show that people with a regular intake of sea vegetables show few symptoms of mineral depletion.
3. Seaweeds promote stable blood sugar levels. This mineral rich food also helps the body to keep its alkaline/acid balance in its unique range of polysaccharides removes pollutants and toxins and heavy metals, special pigments including chlorophyll clean the kidneys, better food absorption keeps us ‘clean”
4. Seaweeds form new cells and are great to combat the effects of using antibiotics. Sea vegetables destroy harmful anaerobic bacteria due to its antibiotic activity. They strengthen the immune system, central nervous system and the lymphatic system which needs minerals to work well. These minerals come in abundance in seaweeds.
5. Seaweeds are rich in antioxidants the antioxidant content of sea vegetables also deserves mention with respect to its health benefits. While sea vegetables do contain measurable amounts of polyphenols like carotenoids and flavonoids, they also contain other phytonutrient antioxidants, including several types of alkaloids that have been shown to possess antioxidant properties. Coupled with measurable amounts of antioxidant vitamins (like vitamins C and E) and antioxidant minerals (like manganese and zinc), sea vegetables can be expected to help us reduce our risk of unwanted oxidative stress and many types of cardiovascular problems that are associated with poor antioxidant intake.
6. Seaweeds are very filling and satisfying, which aid in natural appetite suppression, and balances daily dietary intake, which in turn assists the body with weight loss efforts. Another great benefit to health is the anti-inflammatory properties due to the correct balance of acidity in the body, as seaweeds are highly alkaline.
7. Seaweeds facilitate detoxification by cleansing the body of toxic pollutants. Every day we expose our body to environmental toxins and food additives. We breathe in, eat, drink and touch toxins - every day. Toxins are the unwanted or unfriendly visitors our bodies receive. Air pollution, chemical additives in our food and drinks, solvents in our homes. Toxins affect the proper functioning of our internal system. So even if we eat a healthy diet, the assimilation of nutrients in the body gets derailed as toxins build up along the intestinal walls. The result? Toxic “sludge” or debris.

Detoxing with Sea Vegetables

We need to “cleanse” our body, to flush out harmful toxins, so we stay healthy and rejuvenated. An effective system cleansing focuses on proper elimination (colon) and detoxification (liver). Fibre provides the “bulk” that aids in regular bowel movement and one of the best sources of fibre (aside from grains, beans, fruits and land vegetables) are sea vegetables. These astonishing sea vegetables help rid the body of heavy metals like lead, mercury and other pollutants. These toxic elements are converted into harmless salts that our bodies simply flush away.

Kombu is one of the most common types of seaweed which is believed to rid the body of toxins and heavy metals that cause a variety of health problems such as obesity, arthritis, skin problems and high blood pressure.  Over and above the incredible benefits of seaweed foods, baths, body wraps, and medicinal teas are methods that I have used with clients for decades on my detoxification programmes. Kombu is my number one ingredient in the many ‘medicinal’ and ‘weight loss’ teas I create using Clearspring products. The benefits are innumerable and detoxing with seaweed is the safest and least harmful to your organs. 

A seaweed mask draws out the impurities in our skin making us feel better, look better and rested. Regularly adding this as a ritual does wonders to our wellbeing.  You will feel younger, with beautiful skin as you clean from the inside out with nature’s most powerful plants.

8. Nori Seaweed Strips are readily available and can be consumed as a snack or as a supplement to your meals, with rice, in sandwiches, in salads, with soup, or on its own; they are simply irresistible and delicious. I always have Clearspring Nori Strips with me as my ‘snack attack’. Seaweeds break down and digest slowly compared to processed foods.
9. Seaweed feeds the shafts and the ducts of the scalp to help improve the health of the hair. Hair becomes shiny, glowing, and full of body; nails become strong and even undergo a rapid growth process; the skin is softer, smoother, firmer and more toned. The number of minerals in their high concentrations found in the sea vegetables far surpasses that which is found on land in any one plant, and these minerals also represent as a whole, the most vital and complete combination for human beings
10. For Weight Loss - Seaweeds are high in fibre and next to no calories. Research shows that seaweed is not only healthy but speeds up weight loss by blocking fat intake and promoting fat burning.  There are countless claims for miracle cures for weight loss but only a few cases offer sound scientific evidence to back up these claims. It’s a proven fact that alginates (found in seaweeds) significantly reduce fat digestion.  Seaweeds are also nutrient dense and loaded with minerals; (when your diet is rich in trace minerals you have fewer cravings.)
11. For Digestive Health - Seaweeds break down and digest slowly compared to processed foods. This actually allows hormonal balancing to occur. Hormonal imbalance is the cause of weight gain. I suggest that you include at least one seaweed, in your daily diet plan.
12. The nutrient density of seaweeds means a wealth of vitamins and minerals are distributed throughout your body delivering strength and energy. Many types of sea vegetables require only soaking for 5-10 minutes before adding to your dish. Other types of sea vegetables such as nori and kelp flakes can be used without soaking. Sautéing arame or hijiki with some sweet vegetables is an absolute treat.

Enjoy the gifts of the ocean.

In good health