Yolk it ain't a joke!!

Last week we were away and one place we stayed gave us a couple of eggs which they said was fresh from the chook house well when we tried them they were not fresh at all and the colour of the yolks was quite light in colour. So I thought those are not free range birds the yolk was too light. So when we had eggs the next time I noticed the yolk was bright yellow and thought this is definitely a free range egg. Well guess what? This may not be the case at all. I was shattered to read in the paper yesterday that there may be another reason for the bright colour of egg yolks. Yep now the humble egg is being tampered with secretly by adding colouring agents to the chook food derived from capscicum, marigold and paprika which is manufactured in China.

I always buy free range eggs. I know that the labelling is not always as it seems but I am pretty happy with those I have, well until now. In the article in the paper it was suggested to check all the eggs in a carton and if they were all of similar colour it could be likely they were from chooks fed with additives to colour the yolks.

Although stricter labelling laws are expected next month when ministers of the government meet the use of colour enhancers will not be on the subject list. So back to the drawing board for me to do my own research and look more carefully at the egg yolks or better still find a back yard producer and buy direct once happy they are free range.

I suppose it could be said to do no harm but it is the deception that I don't like and it could be that some people are allergic to capsicum or the other additives and are eating it without knowing.

Sugar Free Tomato Sauce

I have been looking at food labels and it is amazing how much salt and sugar is in manufactured products. Below is a homemade recipe for tomato sauce and it is very nice. I varied it a little from the original recipe I found on line.

Home Made Tomato sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cans tomatoes or fresh tomatoes skinned and chopped weighing 800gm

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 80 ml apple cider vinegar

• 2 tspn granulated stevia (sugar substitute)

• 1 tspn ground allspice

• 1 tspn ground cinnamon

• 1 tspn ground clove

• 1 tspn cayenne pepper

• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Prepare your jars or bottles , wash and rinse with boiling water and pop into a warm oven to dry this will make nice and sterile.

Bring all the ingredients to a boil in the saucepan, stirring to dissolve the spices.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes with lid off until the sauce reduces by almost half and is quite thick.

Blend in a food processor.

If the sauce is not thick enough return it to the heat for a little longer.

Fill your jars or bottles to the top and seal. Don't forget to add a label and the date.

Store in the fridge for up to 1 month. Source:https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/homemade-tomato-sauce/

DIABETE'S TYPE 2

I have been further investigating diabets type 2 as it is genetic in our family. 1.7 million Australia's have been diagnosed with both type1 and type 2 diabetes, 85% of which is type 2 and it is believed there are a further 500,000 undiagnosed. So how does one know if they have diabetes and what are the symptons.

Frequent urinating and Thirst can be a strong indicator as well as foot ulcers and tiredness. A simple blood test can test the reading of our blood sugar and if it is higher than should be a further test is normally ordered which is done over a 2 hour period, namely the Glucose tolerance test. It is not painful but involved drinking a very sugary drink and the blood is then tested before drinking, 1 hour after and 2 hours after which indicates what is happening with the insulin if we may be insulin resistance or full blown diabetic.

If in doubt and you have symptons go to your doctor it is not a death sentence but needs to be controlled to protect your kidneys, heart and feet. And if your are diagnosed Diabetes Australia has a wonderful site on line full of help and advise.

Diabetes is not just in the older population, or the overweight and diabetes 2 is quite often genetic, so if you know of anyone in your family, parent's familes that have had diabetes then you know you could be at risk. So what happens to a diabetic: The pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin The insulin does not work properly in our body Or we are insulin resistant whereby the body does not respond to insulin effectively

Type 2 diabetes can be controlled for some people without medication by modifying lifestyle, namely our diet and increasing exercise. Controlling the amounts of sugar and carbohydrates in the diet. "Controlling blood sugar (glucose) levels is the major goal of diabetes treatment, in order to prevent complications of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is managed with insulin as well as dietary changes and exercise. Type 2 diabetes may be managed with non-insulin medications, insulin, weight reduction, or dietary changes." (1)

I have also read about fasting as a means of curing diabetes type2 but not sure this is strongly supported by the medical profession. However, does make for interesting reading "But the fact that fasting cures diabetes has been know for close to 100 years! One of the most famous diabetologists in the history of the world – Dr. Elliot Joslin wrote about it in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1916! In fact, he thought that it was so obvious that fasting was helpful that studies would not even be necessary. This, from the guy that Harvard University used to name its world famous Joslin Center for Diabetes.

What happened? Well, remember that there was still massive confusion about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes back then. Fasting would not be particularly useful for Type 1, and type 2 was still quite unusual back then. After the discovery of insulin in the early 1920’s, all the focus turned to it as the ‘cure’ for diabetes. While it was a major advance for type 1, it was not quite the panacea for type 2s. However, most of the interest in fasting disappeared as doctors focused on what would be their mantra for the next century – drugs, drugs, drugs."(2)

So from this brief discussion there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help to treat diabetes T2 whether it can be reversed is topical and as always it is strongly recommended that treatments should be discussed with your Doctor or Diabetes Adviser. And if one should suspect that all is not ok and that they may have the symptons getting diagnosed earlier than later could help to avoid complications.

So I am off for a walk now, a few short walks a day is better than none. Why not join me and get those daily steps right up there.

Sources: (1)http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_treatment/article.htm (2) https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-cures-diabetes-t2d-4/ https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/type-2-diabetes http://www.checkup.org.au/page/Initiatives/TravelCheck/Check/Type_2_Diabetes_Risk_Assessment_Tool/

Fruit from the Lillypilly

I recently picked as many lilly pilly fruit as I could find on our hedge and boiled them up and strained them once soft through a strainer. Now to make a sauce. Any recipes tried and true would be appreciated.

Dragon Fruit/Moon Flower

Hi over the last few days our dragon fruit have been flowering and what a beautiful sight they are.

The flowers are white, 30cm long and are open for only one night. The bud begins to puff out during the day and it is evident that it will open that evening. The photos below were taken below around 9pm using torch light. By that time they had reached their full beauty a sight to behold.

They have a translucency about them and almost seem to glow in the moon light. After one night of glory they start to close with the sun’s rays upon them, but not before the bee’s have had the most incredible feast. On cloudy days they stay open till about 10am. The fruit is then set and will grow rapidly. Some photo's of the beautiful rich red fruit in about 30 days to follow.

On doing some further research on the "Pitaya's" I find they are in fact regarded as a super food rich in antioxidants with, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein, carotene, calcium, iron, phosphorous, " high in polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that reduce triglycerides and lower the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Eating dragon fruit can help the body maintain such normal function as ridding the body of toxic heavy metals and improved eyesight. Lycopene, responsible for the red color in dragon fruit, has been shown to be linked with a lower prostate cancer risk."

Fights Diabetes

The high amount of fiber in dragon fruit can ultimately help regulate diabetes, as it can stabilize blood sugar levels by suppressing sugar spikes. However, with any dietary changes or modifications, always consult your doctor to make sure this is a good food for you.

Reduces Signs of Aging

Eating a dragon fruit with its rich antioxidants can keep the skin tight and young. You can even make a face mask using the fruit combined with honey as a natural alternative to anti-aging masks."

Sources: http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dragon-fruit.html
http://www.aussiedragonfruit.com/Fruit.htm
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-surprising-benefits-dragon-fruit-you-never-knew.html

Brain Food

As we age so does our brain and we need to find a way to fight the effects. I am forever exercising my brain and endeavouring to strengthen my memory by learning new words, puzzles, naming every plant in the garden and eating various foods that I find help me such as sage, persimons, pomegranites and lots of salmon 3 or 4 days a week.

"Fish: The Ultimate Brain Food?

Traditionally fish has been described as “brain food” – a claim that was dismissed as an ‘old wives tale’ for many years but recent research into the links between fish and brain function suggest that this old wives’ tale may have more than a small grain of truth behind it.

We know that a large part of the brain is made up of omega-3 fats, making them vital for healthy brain function. In fact 60% of the fats in the brain are omega-3 with DHA, a type of omega-3 fat found in fish, being the main type. Omega-3 fats are essential for healthy brain development both in the womb and in early childhood. About 75% of brain cells are in place before birth and the other 25% are in place by the age of 1 year – making omega-3 fats an essential nutrient both for pregnant mothers and young children. Omega-3 fats were found to be so important for early brain development that they are now automatically added to baby milk formula and it is recommended that pregnant women eat two servings of fish every week – including at least one oil-rich fish."

Source: http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/aboutfood/nutrition/fish/pages/ultimatebrainfood.aspx

"Sage sharpens the mind

by TIM UTTON, Daily Mail

Old wives' tales have long proclaimed sage's ability to boost the powers of memory. Now scientists have proved they were right.

Indeed, researchers are so impressed by the herb's powers that they are to investigate if it could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease.

The possible breakthrough follows clinical trials which found that healthy adults who had taken sage oil capsules performed significantly better in memory tests.

The herb - Latin name Salvia lavandulaefolia - is thought to protect the 'chemical messengers' which carry information in the brain and are essential to memory.

Men and women have taken sage to fight memory loss for centuries, usually in teas or tinctures. As far back as 1597, herbalist John Gerard wrote that sage was 'singularly good for the head and brain and quickeneth the nerves and memory.'

Half a century later, Nicholas Culpeper, claimed the herb 'heals the memory, warming and quickening the senses'.

Researchers from the Medicinal Plant Research Centre (MPRC), based at the universities of Newcastle and Northumbria, recently completed the first clinical trials involving the use of sage by healthy adults.

They tested 44 healthy adults aged 18 to 37. Some were given capsules containing between 50mg and 150mg of sage oil while others received a 'dummy' capsule containing none.

The volunteers took part in a wordrecall tests at intervals between one and six hours later.

Those who had taken the sage oil performed better across the board - on average recalling eight per cent more words than those on the placebo, in some cases more than ten per cent.

Research team leader Nicola Tildesley said: 'This proves how valuable the work by the old herbalists is, and that they shouldn't just be ignored because they were writing centuries ago."

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-194179/Sage-sharpens-mind.html#ixzz3xkdbX1AK

"Essential Oils For The Brain

Essential oils are an excellent way to treat mental fatigue and to boost your mental capacity. Here are three that can be a useful supplement to herbal remedies for times when you need to stimulate your brain.

Rosemary is a bright and sharp essence that improves clarity in the mind and emotions. Peppermint is stimulating It enlivens the mind and is one of the best oils to boost energy, creativity and learning.

Basil improves mental fatigue and focus."

Anyone have any special tips on improving memory love to hear from you.

Food to fight Obesity

If anyone recently watched Dateline you will know that plums grown in the granite belt of Queensland have just been released for sale in Woolworths.  These plums are known as Queen Garnet are being discussed with headlines such as"

"Plum hailed in fight against obesity after bringing fat rats 'back to normal', as scientists seek superfood status"  

So is this plum GC the superfood of the future which is grown exclusively in Australia and if as claimed above could  save the world from obesity.  Sounds to good to be true but guess who is off to the supermarket to get her daily fix.  Blueberries now have taken a back seat to these tasty colorful plums for there health benefits. 

Blue, red or dark purple coloured fruit and vegetables contain this andioxidant namely, "Anthocyanin" which is a flavanoid "They have some of the strongest physiological effects of any plant compounds, and they are also things of beauty: anthocyanis provide pigment for pansies, petunias, and plums. (Anthocyanis are a separate class of flavonoids from proanthocyanidins.)" 


"Queensland Department of Primary Industry scientist Kent Fanning worked on the plum for more than a decade.He said anthocyanin was a pigment coming under increasing attention from scientists because of its health benefits.
"The blue of blueberries, the red of strawberries, the red of raspberries - that's anthocyanin," Mr Fanning said.
"There's increasing evidence they help reduce inflammation and the structure and function of the gastrointestinal system.
"The potential benefits relate to protection against some forms of cardiovascular disease, improved liver function and improved pancreas function [and] what we call lifestyle diseases [that] are prevalent in the Western society."
The Queensland Government sold the global rights to the Queen Garnet to Nutrafruit, a syndicate of six Queensland friends with a connection to agribusiness."

I find this an interesting and intriguing story and will be watching for the results of the trials as well as getting my fix by buying some from the supermarket.  I love eating a variety of foods and those rich in colour and flavour.  We are currently picking gold passionfruit, cherry tomatoes (which were self sewn) and persimons from our garden which are all organic.  It has been too hot to plant any vegetables but the garden beds are ready for March and the cooler months of Autumn.

And something exciting happened last week.  The first flower from one of our dragon fruit set and flowered it was a beautiful site they are quite large (known as the moon flower) as they come out during the evening. It was still partly open in the early morning and we were able to self pollinate it before it closed and died as they only last the one night.  The wait is on now to see if it will set fruit.  I will keep you posted.
















Sources:
 http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Anthocyanins.shtml
 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-14/antioxidant-rich-plum-to-fight-obesity/