Wild harvested lime flowers for an infusion to calm the nervous system. Combined with fibrous juicy foods to sooth the natural digestive processes. Available soon in the online shop.
Year: 2020
Berry harvest
Harvest time for berries, on a recent stay to Wellingborough for a ten day raw food visit and retreat. https://youtu.be/bvNU4tGGbIc
Use our new Kitchen Buddy Super seed Colon cleanse blend, to feel more vibrant. I make desserts with it, add it into breakfast cereal or muesli. Simply, add a desert spoon Into a liquid fresh water, juice or blend into fruit purée, for an instant sweet jelly.
The beautiful back garden is being developed by a local gardener Collette, brings her great energy and plant knowledge to developing the back garden. Next door to the house is a small public field; land enclosed by fruit bushes and trees. It’s a very peaceful place and I lay outside beneath an unusual pine tree, placing my legs up the trunk to support my back. Ideal for Morning or evening Meditation and Dancing. I went most days to reconnect with the landscape, secluded from other places. The entrance yields a stretch of wild blackberry bushes and each day we collected a small amount for that day, rinsed them well and added to our breakfast or fruit dessert. As I walk in, turning right from the front garden, I’m met with elder trees, With fresh ripe glowing berries above my head! their clusters dangle within reach and we selected them for a Refreshing Berry juice Mocktail (non alcoholic drink).
We were give a tour around the lakes, wetlands and home to wild water fowl. We discovered woods land spaces and beautiful picturesque homes. To start our day Effat makes raw living food meals in the mornings and afterwards, a chance to explore the towns and to get to know other practitioners and clinics in the area.
Effat the raw living foods metaphysical Instructor produces a different daily meal and there is lots of fibrous juicy foods including melons and no cook soups.
Seaweed nutritional research
Our Wrack seaweed is Wild harvested from Cornwall by Jon Dale in a 4 stage process:
- safe harvesting from the shore.
- Rinse well to remove grit and sand
- Air dry lightly
- Grind to a granular or powder composition
Benefits
Seaweed has been shown to improve failing memory.
Seaweed Detoxifies, removes particles which the body finds difficult to digest, including heavy metals from amalgam fillings.
Cholesterol Reduction, Cardiovascular health and as a treatment for migraines.
Iodine contributes to the normal production of thyroid hormones, normal thyroid function, nervous system and cognitive function, children’s growth, normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal maintenance of skin. Iodine deficiency has particularly affected women and school age (with low dietary intake of sea animals and diary products). In 2014, the British Journal of Nutrition published that a low level Seaweed Supplementation improves iodine status in iodine-insufficient women.
It’s a more effective and natural multivitamin supplement/tablet. Under a gram of A good wild harvested seaweed is much healthier than the rapid uptake and decline of manufactured potassium iodide, a commonly used iodine supplement, found in salt.
Seaweed applications: ½ x 1 tsp daily, To Replace salt in cookery with salads, sauces, soups and all savoury recipes.
As a sea vegetable, the wild harvested wracks often have a higher mineral profile than land vegetables, due to soil erosion and the mineral reduction in our soil since WWII. Wild harvested Seaweed replaces parts of lost minerals in land vegetables, due to soil Erosion.
Contains magnesium, iron, sodium, iodine … minerals relaxing, wellbeing, mental health , improves energy.
Populations and nations with high seaweed intake include: Norway, China, Ireland, Japan
Journal of hypertension 1986 recorded that 50% rack seaweed was an antidote in rats fed sort at level is causing heart Phalia.
One 2 g of seaweed is approximately the same contains the same amount of iron as 11 g of spinach 4 g of calcium know the same and calcium is 4 g of cheese and cheese sandwich
omega three and omega six long chain fatty acids typical make up between 1 to 5% of the dry matter in seaweed.
Seaweed is a ‘complete’ food, which naturally reduces food craving. This is the opposite of ‘fast foods’; in digestion it is not searching for any other nutrients to make it self feel complete.
Polysaccharides are soluble fibre which slows gastric emptying, helps digestion and releases nutrients.
phenols naturally inhibit starch digestive enzymes, slowing release of sugars to the blood (similar effect to the consumption of brown rice over white).
The Journal of Appetite reports a study by Sheffield Hallam university that seaweed may assist in appetite reduction within 24 hours after consuming bread enriched with seaweed contains 4.5 more dietary fibre grams soluble fibre. Studies show that this will have an impact on reducing energy intake of additional calories in overweight males.
2011 breakfasting on a slice of bread baked with ground up seaweed rather than salt could help burn more calories than half an hour on a treadmill the daily Telegraph 2012.
Theresa’s Tea Talks: Elderflower infusion
This week we have a Testimonial for this infusion.
“The aromatic qualities really highlight nature’s unseen purities & a potency that it sprays across the land, a perfumery of odours for us all; insects, plants & humans. The taste was real poetry & calming. Thank you for taking me back to nature’s garden. Fortunately, you gravitate to (Medicinal wild herbs) with your inner compass and a heightened sense of taste & smell.
For me it was like being in a time capsule! transporting me back to carefree times walking in a forest, I wasn’t expecting that!“
River Medway Harvest
Beckenham Place Park Art Exhibition
I’m thrilled to share that 3 of my recent garden plant paintings were selected and are on show in the online exhibition this month. I began sketching and painting flowers as a challenge during Lent and discovered that my neighbour, Deborah Masters, is the local artist and one of the curators. As a first time exhibitor, it’s wonderful to join.
Her encouragement earlier on in the year during a quieter time gave me a boost and you’ll find my work at the end (alphabetical by artist). Discover the stories behind these works. All are available to purchase if you’d like to buy something to add to your collection. The show takes place on Sunday 19th July.
This week, movement and music
Foraging: this week, we met at a distance of 2 m apart, in the rain. After a drizzly start, sharing news and hopes for future plans, as restrictions ease, walkers enjoyed a warm Elderflower infusion, made from the naturally air dried, locally collected flowers. This is a useful preservation technique. My Tuesday morning walks are shown live on Zoom and are open for all to enjoy by joining through.
Music: this week I’m listening to Angélique Kidjo‘s version of the classic ‘Summertime’ song, which gives it an essential African/French twist, perfect for dancing to. Last year, I was fortunate to attend the Songlines International Music Awards ceremony, hosted by one of my favourite presenters, singer Cerys Matthews (Catatonia), where Angélique won a highly deserved award in her section. That was an amazing session!
Fitness: following the realisation that movement is emotionally beneficial, to release the energy within from being in; inside keeping movement and an oxygen flow is good for the body especially this summer. Enter Dancing Tao to the rescue; 5 Rhythms in our homes, this Friday night for a special transmission. Escape the rain and enjoy the therapeutic effects, of the 5 rhythms teacher with a unique DJ set.
Theresa’s Tea Talks
Theresa shares a cup of Chinese and English teas to strengthen the immune system, minus caffeine, with Chinese lecturer Hui (Grace). Comforting, scented and Hydrating; Local Infusions and international teas, are soothing to our mind, body and soul during the covid19 restriction period. We’re enjoying the simple pleasures in life.
Nature Walks in June
Most of the seeds sown have germinated with the exception of lettuces; what to do with all these peppers! It’s soon give away time again.
The heat is on for a Tuesday socially distanced Walk for health; today we decided to take shade under the trees and From 11.30am-12.30pm practice a yoga routine with a meditation and play, by one of the trees.
We witness nature at first hand; relaxing under the boughs with our feet resting against the trunk. Birds are becoming more familiar and closer; male blackbirds, resting in the branches, field fares nibbling the flower buds, a robin, bees and a dragonfly darts about. We strengthen and develop our core balance with a variation of tree poses and swung safely in the branches.
Afterwards we found the bounteous Elderflowers around the outskirts of the park and began collecting, With the view in mind to leave any unopened buds to allow for pollination. This is extremely important, don’t pick them all! Take only what’s necessary for a drink. Nettle tips and seeds plus Linden blossom have begun to open and it’s perfect timing for these delicately scented flowers to add into a soothing drink; this feels like a warm hug in a mug!
More next week, for walks, yoga and seasonal foraging with myself, Steven and new Polish local gardener Pavil in Forster Park from 10.30am for an hour or more.
It’s always informative to hear the Live and recorded vegan organic network gardeners question time On Tuesday nights.
Other visits to arrange: Kew Gardens is open with a booking system in place.
My own Anniversary
In May I’m aware of my anniversary for choosing a vegan lifestyle for myself; 17 whole years!? It’s more extraordinary than I’d imagined, back in 2003. It took me to lie down, to rest late at night, desiring to fall asleep but instead I’m aware of a sensation. Something is stirring. Much like the birth of Spring with the sight of crocus…
“Sing sing sing, for today it’s Spring”. Singing constantly keeps me focussed on my harmonies and being out in nature earth.
