Sugar – The Truth

What is the truth about sugar ? We all like to think we make good food choices, whether it be choosing a bowl of granola in the morning or eating a Fat Free yogurt for lunch. But what if I was to tell you these and many more ”Healthy Products” are actually associated with the increase in obesity, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease throughout the world. Come with us on a journey to dicover the real truth about sugar. To see the full documentary on the 31st May come along to the Kerry Coast Inn, Cahersiveen at 7pm. For any further inquiries please call 087 2809870 or drop into The Aquarian Health Shop.

Product Testimonial Aidan Walsh

I have been taking Protein Powders on and off for over a year now. I started with various types of Whey protein as I was told they were the best and most popular. While using them I always seemed to be tired and never found a noticeable difference in performance. As I became more interested in food and nutrition I started to take a look at the ingredients on the back of these products. I found ingredients such as Colour (Beta Carotene), Anti-Caking Agent (Silicon Dioxide), sucrose, molasses, sucralose. I realised that these products were full of sugars and preservatives which were not good for a body.

I decided that I wanted to find a high quality product which was 100% Organic while also delivering results to my sporting lifestyle. I found Nua Naturals plant based proteins to be the perfect match. I have been taking it for over 5 months now and feel fantastic. I alternate between the Vanilla and Berry flavour proteins using them after intense training and gym sessions, I usually blend them with some fruits and veggies but are also good on their own with water or milk .I also use the Organic Hemp protein over porridge oats in the morning or sprinkle them over salads for lunch. I would highly recommend this range of proteins to anyone.

Product Testimonial Sean O’Shea

I started taking Just Greens about 2 months ago as a way to help me reach my daily intake of greens. As I train a lot, it was invaluable in aiding my recovery and keeping me energized. My preferred method of use was to add 2 teaspoons of Just Greens to a fruit smoothie, I felt it enhanced the taste of the smoothie greatly while adding essential nutrients and vitamins. I would recommend this product to anyone who wishes to live a healthy and energized lifestyle.

To make Hemptella

A lovely alternative to conventional chocolate spreads. We used Dr. Bronner’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil to make our batch. It’s quite amazing when you first open the jar.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Dr. Bronner’s Virgin Coconut Oil

1 cup of cacao powder

3/4 cup of organic powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon of almond extract

1/2 cup of hulled hemp seeds

Directions:

With an electric mixer in a medium size bowl add all the ingredients except the hemp seeds. Start the electric mixer on the lowest setting to keep the powdered sugar and cacao powder from going everywhere. Once the mixture is well blended, increase the speed to medium for 2 minutes or until very smooth. Add hemp seeds in the last 30 seconds.

Yum!

 

Honey & Spice – Makes Oat Nice

2016. It is January, truly. Temperature, 4C. Christmas tree skeleton awaiting its final destiny. Boxes filled with decorations until an energetic person is willing to climb the attic stairs. Ah, bleak January. But we love you too. You allow us to get back into our routine. We are taking a reality check. And of course, we all have good intentions for the new year. It will be better, I will be better than any other year before. Really….?
Honestly, it is quite simply to be and do better. First, the Detox. My common sense advice for cleansing: When we don’t consume the “bad” stuff (sugar, processed food, alcohol…), our amazing body does all the work by itself. Voila! Detoxed.
To step it up a notch, we can choose real good stuff instead. One favorite not only of mine, but in Ireland has to be THE OAT. Porridge. Let us have a closer look at it. What is it?
Oat is a cereal plant. It is grown for its seed. In comparison to other cereals, it’s best grown in temperate regions like our own, with our cool and wet summers. Also, oat grows quite fast and thus has the ability to outgrow weeds. As well as having a good pest resistance and nutrient absorption ability, the use of chemical pesticides, weed killers and fertilizers is minimal. Quite ideal for organic growing it seems. An Irish grower I discovered is Pat Lalor of Kilbeggan Organic Foods located in Ballard, Co. Westmeath.Ā ( www.kilbegganorganicfoods.com )

What I like a lot about companies like this is their transparency, openness to visitors and willingness to share their expertise. There is a lot of information on oat growing, nutrition and uses on their website. Have a browse and a look at this little video of “Ear to the Ground”.

 

Another interesting website to take a browse on is www.eatmoreoats.com
It even has a timeline of the grain’s history. One of these time stamps in particular caught my attention:
Oats deemed health food on Ā Mon, 31 Dec 1984 19:00:0
Oats are boosted to “health food” status by research suggesting that the beta glucans, which are water-soluble fibers present in oat bran, inhibit cholesterol and thus help prevent heart disease.
This is a piece on cholesterol from their site:
Cholesterol and Heart
Benefits of eating oats on cholesterol and heart
Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber. This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. One component of the soluble fibrer found in oats is beta-glucans, a soluble fiber which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Here’s how it works. Soluble fiber breaks down as it passes through the digestive tract, forming a gel that traps some substances related to cholesterol, such as cholesterol-rich bile acids. This entrapment reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. The bad cholesterol, LDL, is trapped without lowering good cholesterol (HDL). Oats and grains are also one of the best sources of compounds called tocotrienols. These are antioxidants which together with tocopherols form vitamin E inhibit cholesterol synthesis and have been found to lower blood cholesterol. The accumulation of cholesterol is implicated in many types of cardiovascular disease. Oats, like all cholesterol-lowering agents, are most effective when consumed as part of a low-fat, high-fiber diet taken together with plenty of exercise. The beneficial health effects of oats are best if Ā½-1 cup (1Ā½-3 ounces) of oats are eaten every day. One study found that the 1/10th ounce (3 grams) of soluble fiber from this amount of oatmeal decreased total cholesterol by approximately 2%, which correlates to a 4% decrease in coronary artery disease. Another study showed 1Ā½ ounces (43 grams) of oatmeal resulted in a loss of 3% in total cholesterol and a 14% reduction in bad cholesterol after two months. Another study found that a 6-8 week diet of 1Ā½-3 ounces (43-85 grams) of oat bran daily lowered total cholesterol by 20% and bad cholesterol (LDL) by as much as 25%. Another study found 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of oat bran (one-third of a cup of oat bran eaten twice a day) lowered cholesterol up to 15%. New research has also discovered that the antioxidants found in oats reduce cholesterol by reducing the ability of blood cells to stick to the inside of artery walls. So in other words, eat a cup of oats a day and you’ll be okay!

Personally, oat bran is my favourite. I use it as a “cheat food”, when I really crave carbohydrates and something warm, filling and fulfilling. Oat bran consists mainly of soluble fiber. So when those dark evening cravings raise their head, that’s what I go for. To make it a little more tasty, I add a pinch of nutmeg and about a quarter of ground cinnamon. If I really need a sweet kick, I will add Xylitol, a plant derived sweetener that does not raise your blood sugar. You will often see this in conventional chewing gums nowadays, as it is also considered good for our teeth. And diabetics can use it too. And of course, a pure and raw honey is the finest ingredient to add. Gotta love honey.

 

Here are some links to fabulous and super value oat products available form our online shop:

OatflakesĀ Jumbo OatflakesĀ Bobs Red Mill Oat Bran G/FĀ Bobs Red Mill Rolled Oats G/FĀ A. Vogel Avena Sativa TinctureĀ A. Vogel Ginsavena Tincture

Several more to explore!

 

My blogs are designed for easy reading of topics that inspire, fascinate or amuse me. If you’d like to add to this or ask us anything, we would love your comments. And when in Cahersiveen, make sure to call in,

A Holiday Part 2 ā€“ When Life Gives You Lemons

Meet my fellow traveller. Brazilian? Kerry? Lemon?

The famous suitcase that starts up interesting conversations with strangers . The two of us had a wonderful time on the Mediterranean cruise. We visited several ports. Cannes, France. La Spezia, Civitivecchia and Amalfi, Italy. Santorini and Athens, Greece and Kusadasi in Turkey. All beautiful. But what blew my socks off however was the Amalfi Coast. We anchored just off Salerno, where a tender boat brought us to shore. I cannot put in words how beautiful it is. One of several towns built into the side of a mountain facing the sea. The weather was absolutely perfect at 25 C with blue sky. The town was very busy but did not feel crowded. Narrow streets took us into the heart of this gem where our first stop was, of course, GELATO. I must admit that this is a true addiction of mine. Iā€™d swap any meal of the day for 3 meals of Italian ice cream. Especially when in Italy. While still indulging, we entered a shop fully stocked withā€¦ā€¦Limoncello liqueur and many other lemon products. My fellow travellers had introduced me to this beverage after our dinners on board. I hardly ever consume alcohol of any sort but this beverage hit a tastebud that said: ā€œI likeā€.

How creative of the natives. The beautiful lemon fruit is very much at home all along the southern parts of Italy and here, too, lemon trees grow abundantly just everywhere. We lunched under lemon treesā€¦

lemon-tree

ā€¦ and the market stalls were bursting with high piles of lemons of sizes I had never imagined a lemon could grow into. Amazing. I must admit that it is one of my favourit fruits. Not a day begins without first having had cooled boiled water with half an organic lemon squeezed into it. I actually put the squeezed fruit into it too, Why? And why organic?

Let me give you just a snippet of some of its benefits:

  • A very alkalizing fruit-our bodies are often too acidic and this can result in many discomforts and illnesses. A ph-balancer
  • Rich in Vitamin C ā€“ you knew this already
  • Aids break down of fat. A great little helper to our livers. We may also shed some few pounds. Consistency is the key! And stepping away from the table. šŸ™‚
  • Itā€™s a digestive tonic, helping our enzymes break down foods
  • Toxins goodbye
  • A good little immune booster due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties
  • Makes your skin glow, just like a bright yellow lemon.

Why do I choose organic only?

Lemons have to be yellow, right? Not always. When nights are warmer during grow season, the lemon is ripe but remains green for a while. In order to please our conditioned consumer eye, lemons are being gassed to turn yellow. Yikes. As they are also quite popular with some bugs and flies, pesticides will be used in conventional farming and to make them last longer, well they get a shiny coat of wax.

The peel is full of great health benefits and I use it daily. Wouldnā€™t like all the added stuff to get into me though.

There is so much more healthy info to find out about my friend the lemon. But this is not the place. If youā€™d like to find out more, please drop me a line or ask our friend ā€œGoogleā€.

But we wonā€™t stop here with the worship of this beautiful sunshine coloured fruit. Have you ever tasted Lemon Curd? Used preserved lemons when pan-frying fish? And the essential oil of lemon is a must have at home. Let me give you a couple of tips. For Free!!

My dear and very talented friend Johan VanderMerwe shared this recipe with me:

lemonpreserved

LEMON CURD

I liked this Lemon Curd recipe in particular cause it suggests using honey instead of sugar.

  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Ready in: 15 min
  • Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 3 large organic eggs
  • Ā¼ cup (80 grams) organic or local honey
  • zest of 2 lemons (about 1 tablespoon)
  • Ā¼ cup (56 grams) raw coconut oil or organic unsalted butter (raw will give it a hint of coconut, use refined if you prefer)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

  1. Blend eggs, honey and lemon zest in a saucepan or pot. Use plastic or wooden spoon to mix. (acidity in lemon would react on metal).
  2. Heat on low heat. When all is well-combined, add the coconut oil or butter and continue stirring.
  3. Once melted, stir in the lemon juice.
  4. Cook the lemon curd over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens ā€“ about 5-10minutes. When the curd coats the back of a spoon and a clear path is left when you run your finger through it (not while boiling hot), it should be ready. Donā€™t exceed 77 Ā°C.. Eggs curdle around 85 Ā°C.
  5. Strain mixture into a glass jar. Let it cool completely. Close lid and turn upside down.
  6. Keep in the fridge and consume within 10 days. That should not be a problem.

Itā€™s really nice on ice cream or mixed into some natural yoghurt.

ESSENTIAL OIL OF LEMON

One of my favourite essential oils is that of lemon. It is pressed from the fruit peel and again, I only use organic.

Lemon symbolises freshness, clarity, cleanliness, intuition and improved communication. A great scent used in a diffuser at work or in the kitchen. Lemon offers a happy scent and lifts mood. It has great disinfectant properties. Therefore itā€™s a fabulous oil to use during flu season as room scent. It combines really well with other essential oils too.

Diffuser blend suggestion:

Clear your head

3 drops Juniper Berry essential oil

4 drops Lemon essential oil

2 drops Pine Needle essential oil

To make a cleansing room spray:

50ml Tea Tree Water

8 drops lemon essential oil

5 drops Lime essential oil

5 drops Grapefruit essential oil

8 drops Bergamot essential oil

15 drops Lavender Fine or Extra essential oil

3 drops Lemongrass essential oil

Now take a deep breath! Beautiful.

A rejuvenating bath recipe for when you feel exhausted and a little run down

1 cup of full fat cream (liquid, not whipped)

4 drops Angelica essential oil

2 drops ginger essential oil

3 drops lemon essential oil.

Mix into the cup of cream and let the mixture disperse into your bath while holding it under the running tap. You could also use donkey milk, if you prefer bathing likestunning Cleopatra.

cleopatra

Most other European countries also use someculinary essential oils in the kitchen. In Ireland this is not advised. I personally do, with caution and knowledge of course. If youā€™d like to find out more about ā€œAromakitchenā€, again Google is your friend.

I would love to hear from you all with suggestions or questions regarding aromatherapy. Itā€™s such a wonderful topic.

And thatā€™s it from me today. Iā€™d be delighted to hear, what your favourite use of lemon is. Please share with me and I will share with all.

So when life gives you lemons, you have many choices what to do with them. In Italy they make Limoncello!

And guess what. I was not surprised to find it in our local off-licence, Oā€™Driscollā€™s, Cahersiveen. They have the most extensive variety of alcoholic beverages from all around the globe.

This blog was inspired by my visit to the beautiful Amalfi coast and BY NATURE of course.

amalfi

 

A Very Summer Holiday

Oh man, how come Iā€™m awake? Iā€™ve only been asleep for 2 hours. Well, best get up and get going. Might as well since it is an early flight. I guess oneā€™s subconscious is alerted to not missing it. Casual clothes, onion style ā€“ peeling off layer by layer as you arrive in warmer and warmer climates. In true Kerry fashion, it is an unpleasant night with heavy rain and blustery winds. Definitely time to get to the Mediterranean for a bit. The roads are quiet at this time of night but Cork airport is surprisingly lively with several early departures.

And then one of those synchro-destiny occurrences. Queuing for check-in, Iā€™m complimented on my wild coloured suitcase (Kerry colours or Brazil, whichever youā€™re in the mood for) by a well-dressed and seemingly well-travelled lady. From comparing travel luggage we enter into a very vivid and completely unexpected conversation about life as an addict of substance, life as a wife, life with the departed still around us. Standing between the Aer Lingus check in counter and Gate number 1, this colourful suitcase of mine has created a new and very colourful relationship for two women. The number 222. Mixing our gene pools, living only 25 miles apart with parallel lives and experiences. In those short minutes we laugh, we exchange views, we compare similarities and most of all, we are in awe of how there are no coincidences. Marian, I look forward to the beginning of a new friendship. Safe travels for now. Thank you for your inspiring words and I will look out for ā€œherā€.

Day 1. This is the beginning of a two week solo cruiser holiday for me. And it began with a bang. Shortly, I will arrive in Barcelona where I will board a Royal Caribbean Cruise liner. Completely open and awake to whatā€™s going on around me. Completely at ease being on my own but, as proven this morning, not alone ā€¦ not alone at all.

I arrive in Barcelona and take a coach to the city. Easy peasy. While navigating the map with my female brain, i.e. turning 180 degrees back and forth of course, my neighbour, in a London accent, asks if Iā€™ve found my destination. He just flew in for the day to perform some body pyramids with local Catalonians as part of the celebrations of their Catalunyan holiday. Bless Londonā€™s airline diversity. We can barely get off the Green Isle at all .

So Mark, the Londoner, gives me some tips on where to go and itā€™s greatly appreciated. He briefs me on where it all might be happening, celebrations and body pyramids but, when the time comes, I canā€™t find the actual performance. But, later that evening and what do you know: Iā€™m flicking through approximately 56 Spanish/Catalan TV channels in my hotel when I stumble upon some local evening news. And there they are, the body towers. And there he is, Mark. Hilarious. Day 1 ā€“ great!

Day 2. Barcelona. 9.30 am and THATā€™S how you measure the local temperature (see photo below). Love it. Itā€™s very pleasant and warm and the Irish non-summer is quickly becoming a faint memory.

barcelona1

First stop, the Market. I adore summer fruit and while theyā€™re still available Iā€™ve got to get me some! Fresh figs, pound of cherries and a couple of Avos. Sorted. Now Iā€™ll just wander and ramble. And what do you know. A tarot museum. Just around the corner from my hotel. I have little knowledge of this ancient art but love it all the same. It fascinates me and the art of reading those cards is unique to just a few. There is a selection of hundreds of sets and the lady serving me offers readings. In Spanish only. So I take some photos for my friend and purchase a deck of cards recommended to me by the owner.

barcelona tarot shop

Day 2 passes by very quickly. The most unusual event? It rained ā€¦ twice. But at 28 degrees, itā€™s not a big deal. Tomorrow, Ship Ahoy. I canā€™t wait!

Suzan

The Aquarian Health Store Story ā€“ Continued

So the Aquarian health store story continues, so now let’s get right into it.

In 2002 I opened ā€˜Hemp & Thingsā€™ and now I had to find suppliers for all sorts of natural products. Martin Benham, owner of Munster Wholefoods at the time, was my saviour, with several others to follow. Bless you Martin. We will never forget you and what youā€™ve achieved.

healthfood

There was space to display the full hemp range including clothing, bags, foods and cosmetics but what else to get? At this point Iā€™d also like to tell you about how often my hemp shipments from Germany had been opened by customs. I guess when a package had ā€˜hempā€™ written on it in those days it had to be Cannabis! Not only were those shipments delayed, but the chocolate had always gone missing. Hmm, lost in transit along the way ā€¦

Back to getting the shop ready ā€¦ I got myself a ā‚¬1500 loan and started with organic cornflakes, bread flour, tinned tomatoes, herbal teas and other very basic foods. Some shampoos, body lotions and soaps. A bit of Arnica and Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils. I really hadnā€™t a clue what I was doing or what I should be stocking but, thanks to my new customers, the selection grew rapidly. Any suggestion and request I received, I stocked. Every product I took in, I had to learn about and become an expert on. And I follow this philosophy to this very day ā€“ I only stock products that I believe in, that my customers believe in and that I have tried and researched myself to the point that I know the product better than even the supplier!

After 2 years I had outgrown the existing premises and moved to a more central location in the car park at the back of Main Street. Again, my husband Anthony shelved it and I quickly filled those new shelves with an even larger selection of organic and ethical product. By now Ireland was experiencing its first ever economic boom and people had a good disposable income to experiment with new foods, cosmetics and eco cleaning products. Another three years saw me outgrow these premises too and a move to Main Street was on the cards. Unfortunately, Anthony did not shelf this store. We have gone our separate ways, again, as life would have it ā€¦

This particular move had me take stock and really scrutinise my wholesale situation. The Hemp-Cottage brand had become my own and the product range was now available pretty much nationwide. Mission accomplished. After several years of promoting and educating about the health benefits of hemp, people no longer associate hemp solely with the Cannabis drug. The nutritional and environmental benefits of hemp had become common knowledge. I decided to pass the brand and its distribution to my dear friends at the newly formed Independent Irish Health Foods company, the former Munster Wholefoods. (And this is another story I will tell you in one of my next blogs ā€¦)

I decided that time had come to rebrand the store. So what will I call it? After some weeks of brainstorming with dear friends, I decided to name it after my zodiac as I am a true Aquarian in all its shades and traits. New colours, new logo, new layout. It is very refreshing to give your business a face lift and it also gave me the opportunity to look at it all and take stock of where I was at in my life. Of course, recession had hit hard since 2008 and I had moments of doubts over the years. They were very brief though.

aquarian-store-cahersiveen

Thanks to my wonderful and loyal customers I am still trading in the rural town of Cahersiveen on the Iveragh peninsula. The variety and quality of stock is unrivalled in any other small town like ours and this is something I am very proud of. The encouragement, support and compliments of my South Kerry customers, both resident and visiting, have kept me looking for the best quality products, the latest and most nutritious foods, the most ethical and functional supplements and the finest organic fruit, veggies and cheese varieties.

It has been such a wonderful and passionate journey so far and I intend to stay on this path.

BlogPostOurStoryP2-3

And so we will put the Aquarian Health Store Story on hold for now ā€¦ What I would like to share with you on this blog are the stories of my suppliers, manufacturers, farmers and producers of all those wonderful products. Letā€™s admit it. We take it for granted that all this is sitting on a shelf for us. But where does it come from? Who makes it? How is it made? Whatā€™s involved?

Throughout this blog, I will introduce you to some of the most wonderful and dedicated people in the natural and organic product trade. I am sure their stories will fascinate you as much as they fascinate me. It is so interesting to become aware of how much effort, passion and dedication is needed to produce and supply those very fine and precious products mother earth supplies us with. Please visit again. I invite you to send me your comments and questions on anything you read here. So long for now ā€¦

Suzan

The Aquarian Health Store Story ā€“ Rewind

Welcome to this blog about the Aquarian health store, Cahersiveen. Iā€™d like to tell you how it came to be, where it has been and in what direction it is going. I hope youā€™ll enjoy what this blog will become and will communicate with me on topics published.

Letā€™s rewind ā€¦

I grew up in Nurnberg, Germany with Turkish roots. I knew from a young age that I had to travel. And I did. In 1992, after having been to the other side of the world and several places in between, I landed in Cahersiveen, County Kerry for what was just meant to be the summer season with Club Med Waterville. As life would have it, I settled in this small town on the Ring of Kerry with my husband Anthony and my two lovely children Simon and Yasmin.

road-kerry

At the time of the much anticipated Millennium Year 2000 (and after having called Cahersiveen my home for 8 years) most people in Ireland had several jobs to make a living. For me it was teaching German and Italian in local primary schools under a pilot project while also owning a driving school. With Ireland heading into its first ever economic boom, people seemed to have more disposable income which allowed them to better their living standards. Learning to drive and getting a car, which had been quite rare until now, was part of this. At the very least, it meant people could avoid the wet and the cold while commuting.

church-cahersiveen

ā€˜What has that got to do with anything?ā€™ I hear you think. Well ā€¦

During this summer of 2000 I met a German family who returned to their holiday home in Ireland each year and whose daughter took some lessons with me in preparation for her driving test in Germany. One day they asked me if Iā€™d help them promote their products in Ireland and this was my first introduction to hemp, the plant with such a great story.

I knew nothing about hemp but very quickly became fascinated by its versatility and also by its ā€˜dark sideā€™. Hemp is in the Cannabis family and, even today, is often criticised or brushed off as a mind-altering drug to be avoided and scorned. But, in actual fact, hemp is a fascinating gift from nature. With its 20,000+ uses, the narcotic side is only one. To find out more about hemp and all its versatility, Google is your friend. There is just so much to learn about it ā€¦

Having decided to get the word out about hemp and its nutritious by-products, I made it my mission to tell as many people as I could about this wonderful hemp plant with so many uses. My sales trips took me throughout most of Ireland where I met the health store owners in almost every town (and what wonderful and exciting people they were! Dedicated to the cause first and foremost, just like I was) and attended many trade shows and holistic fairs in Dublin and the rest of Ireland where I met with the consumers directly.

The whole operation was based in my family home. We had hemp tea in my sonā€™s wardrobe, boxes of hemp seed oil behind the sofa, the chocolate was hidden well and all the other products stored in any available corner around our small house. By 2002, as you can imagine, I had truly outgrown our home as a store room.

What next? A warehouse? But why not combine it with some other products and sell to the public too? A shop? With stock and all that? Scary. Yet, here I was. After declining an offer in 1997 to take over the then local health shop in Cahersiveen, I decided to open my own now. I rented a little shop at East End of town. My husband shelved it and the health store journey began.

To Be Continued ā€¦

Suzan