Has anyone else noticed the surging number of people writing in public? In London, where I walk beside the River Thames every day, I’ve become increasingly aware of people sitting on benches, writing. Not playing with their phones or ipads, but writing by hand in note books and on paper. I began lamenting the loss…
WHY WE NEED MORE LUTEIN: GREEN BUTTERBEAN SOUP
To lose one’s sight as one gets older seems terribly cruel. Can you imagine not being able to enjoy a painting? Or missing the splendour of February’s first crocuses? Or not being able to see your first grandchild? But there’s good news: researchers now think many cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD, better known as…
WHY STRESS MATTERS – FREEKEH WITH ARTICHOKES
It’s been a stressful time in British politics. Our political elite appear to have disintegrated in the space of a week. As I’ve watched Tony Blair, David Cameron, Barack Obama and a host of other politicians on screen, I‘ve distracted myself with close scrutiny of their appearance. And I’ve been struck by how quickly they’ve…
ROSEMARY FOR REMEMBRANCE: WHITE BEANS WITH MUSHROOMS
My short-term memory has been appalling during the last few weeks. I like to think it’s because I’ve run out of green tea and been too busy to replace it. But I suspect it’s the busy-ness that’s caused the problem. At a recent party I was barely able to have a fully-functioning conversation and spent…
IMPROVE YOUR EYESIGHT – EAT MORE FREEKEH!
Have you noticed your eyesight isn’t what it used to be? Irritating isn’t it? Frightening even. Following the horrific crash of the Germanwings plane in the Alps two weeks ago, it turned out the 27-year old co-pilot responsible was suffering serious sight problems and had already lost 30 percent of his vision – possibly a…
WHY COFFEE IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND – COFFEE & CHOCOLATE BRAINIES
Coffee. To drink or not to drink? That is the question. 2015 kicked off with another spate of headlines on the benefits of coffee. Once demonised, coffee is increasingly proving to be the good guy when it comes to healthy ageing. Yes, one more of those irritating u-turns that makes us want to give up…
THE POWER OF VITAMIN D – HEALTHY CHRISTMAS CANAPES
With the darkest day almost upon us, it seems fitting to end the year with a few words on the sunshine vitamin – Vitamin D. A slew of new research has linked Vitamin D deficiency to obesity, dementia, prostate and colorectal cancers, fertility, multiple sclerosis, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, poor immunity, SAD, schizophrenia…
WHY EATING WELL NEEDN’T COST A FORTUNE – SARDINE AND WATERCRESS PÂTÉ
As I stood in line at a supermarket checkout recently, I overheard a young couple in front of me querying the cost of their weekly shop. The checkout lady confirmed her till was working properly and she hadn’t put any items through twice. Then the young woman’s face crumpled. “We were just trying to be…
EAT YOUR GREENS … BUT WHICH ONES?
Spending a fortune on blueberries? Don’t know which vegetables to buy? Take a look at this new study from William Paterson University in New Jersey, which ranked 47 fruit and vegetables in terms of nutrients per bite http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0390.htm#table2_down Researchers analysed each fruit and vegetable for 17 critical nutrients proven to reduce chronic disease.* The findings…
CANCER-BUSTING CARROTS AND A SIMPLE CARROT SALAD WITH SESAME DRESSING
Carrots … cheap, readily available, invariably liked by children. And now, a cancer-busting superfood to boot. Research into carrots has shown them to: lower the risk of heart attacks in women; reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 32%; reduce the risk of colon, prostate and bladder cancer; restore vision; and help prevent inflammatory…
