Healthy Herbs and Their Benefits

There’s nothing bad about herbs when you think about it; they are easy to grow, easy to use, taste great when used with the right ingredients and are good for you.  The last point is probably the least well-known fact but is based on research by nutritional experts.  So which are the super-herbs that give the most health benefits?

Rosemary

Rosemary is a fragrant, evergreen herb with thin needle-like leaves as well as pretty flowers in white, pink, purple or even sometimes blue.  It is native to the Mediterranean region and is commonly used in Italian cuisine.  Herbal tea can also be made using it and it works particularly well when cooked with meats to give a unique flavour.

According to the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre, the smell of rosemary can itself even boost brain performance.  This is because a compound that is absorbed from the aroma has been connected to speed and accuracy of cognitive performance.  The more of the compound in the blood, the better the brain works.

Parsley

Parsley is also a Mediterranean herb and is known for its simplicity to grow as well as its varied uses.  It has spread into Middle Eastern and American cooking as well as being popular in the cuisines across Europe and is often used to garnish a dish with a splash of fresh green.

Parsley has high levels of something called apigenin and a study from Cancer Prevention Research has shown that when rats were tested for breast cancer, they development fewer tumour or had delays in development of tumour when ingested this substance.  Apigenin works to block the creation of new blood vessels that allows tumours to grow.

Peppermint

Peppermint is actually a hybrid plant combining watermint and spearmint that was found across Europe and the Middle East.  As well as being great as a breath freshener, peppermint is also effective at combating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBM) according to a Canadian survey.  It works to relieve pain in the colon and calm pain sensing fibres, particularly to combat the effects of strong flavours such as chili and mustard.

Oregano

Another Mediterranean herb, Oregano is common in pastas and pizza dishes.  It also has natural anti-inflammatory properties and when used on mice’s paws it has been shown to reduce inflammation after an injury.  It contains beta-caryophyllin, which has been shown to inhibit the production of substances that cause inflammation in the first place.

Conclusion

Preparing herbs is very easy and even someone with little knife skills can chop up a few herbs to add to a meal and gain a few of these subtle health benefits.  Most herbs can be torn up by hand, chopped up roughly with a small knife or even cut up into smaller pieces using a herb chopper,

It can also be a great idea for a gift to buy someone a personalised chopping board with a recipe for their perfect herbs on it, to remind them which herbs are their perfect match.

New Home Gift Ideas

When it comes to picking a gift for someone to celebrate their new home, if they have a set theme to their rooms or a chosen décor, it can be easy.  But for someone who is moving into their first home or who tends towards the neutral colours, it can be a little more difficult.  The good news is that there are some great products available from commemorating the event to adding a splash of on-trend colour.

Adding colour

We all have our favourite colours but sometimes this doesn't always translate well to a room colour or isn't suitable for everyone in the house. It may also be that there aren't any accessories around in that favourite colour. So the next best option is to go for one of the on-trend colours and according to House Beautiful, this year’s colours include:

•  Greek blue – this is a deep blue described as the colour of the tops of church on the Greek island of Santorini or the colour of the Mediterranean.  Alongside brilliant white, this is said to work well with gentle pinks or greys.

Greek blue church roof

•  Sour green – this is a kind of grey-green or sage green that works surprising well on accessories combined with blues or aquamarine shades and the pairing is often used in floral patterns.
• Olive green – olive green works well with neutral shades, whites and creams and is a very warm colour.
• Neutral grey – instead of the normal neutral shades of brown, the new trend is for neutral grey shades with darker grey shades such as charcoal for accents.
• Combining pastels – for a step up from neutral, many people are combining shades of pastel together such as soft mint green and a blush pink with accents in a slightly darker shade.

Shabby chic

For an on-going trend that is easy to adapt to almost any colour theme, go for shabby chic. In essence, this is where furniture and accessories are given an appearance of age with a distressed look. This transforms a brand new item into something that has a soft and vintage feel to it and often works well with cottage-style décor.

Shabby chic fabrics tend to lean towards cottons and linens with whites, ecrus and bleached pastel colours being popular such as sky blue, rose pink and beige. It is often described as a relaxed and feminine style but can be altered as required to be suitable for any household.

The other good thing about shabby chic is that it is very easy to personalise and to make uniquely suited to someone.  From bird-shaped wooden plaques and small desk tidies to floral pattern fabrics and polka dot ceramics, there are plenty of unique pieces available that will fit into any décor.  Many of these items can be personalised, for example with the date someone moved into the new home on a slate plaque to hang in their hallway.

Conclusion

Buying a new home present can sometimes be about helping people get all those items they need to set up their first home.  Other times, it can be about buying them sometimes memorable so in years to come they can look back at the item and remember the event fondly.

Unusual Valentines Gift Ideas

Valentine’s Day means different things to different people – it may be the chance to tell someone how you feel, to treat your partner or even to make up after a time of troubles.  Traditional Valentines gift have been chocolates, cuddly toys and roses and while these will still be a good fit for some people, unusual Valentines gifts can be a little more difficult.  So here are some ideas to get you started.

For Her

Jewellery is always a good bet for a lady but the best way is to make is relevant to them and show you know them.  For instance, look for a charm bracelet that features her favourite animal or a necklace in the colours of her birthstone.  All of these things show that you pay attention to her and know what she likes.  But don’t forget to have a peek at her jewellery box if you aren’t sure of her tastes – no point in buying a big chunky red necklace if she only wears delicate pendants or worse, already has one!

If the lady likes a glass of wine or a cocktail, why not get a personalised glass that speaks to her?  Shops offer services where etching onto a particular glass can be done with fun messages and her name to make something that suits her tastes and personality.

For Him

Men are often considered harder to buy for but this doesn’t have to be the case.  If the man you are buying for enjoys a pint, then the personalised pint glass or whiskey shot glass if you likes the stronger stuff is something that can be perfect.  If he’s a fan of something a little gentler, get a fun mug made that has a favourite saying on or something that reflects his personality.

For the House

Buying something that can be enjoyed by both of you around the house is a way of celebrating the occasion as a couple.  From scented candles to sets of glasses, there are plenty of ideas.  Another trendy idea are customised plaques that feature anything from your names and the dates you met to the date you moved into your home together.  Ceramics are a popular choice and one of the newer options that is perhaps more suitable to give to a man is the slate variations.

Alternatively, select something new for the house that has a romantic theme, such as a wall hanging featuring a pair of lovebirds or a canvas print of the place you went on honeymoon or a favourite vacation.  You could even have a picture of the two of you made – providing that you both enjoy having your picture on the wall!

While chocolates are always a good choice to enjoy together, many top chocolate makers now offer hampers that contain a range of gifts around a certain theme.  These can even be customised if your loved one has allergies or simply doesn’t like certain things.  Again, this shows you care and that you know them well enough to pick the perfect treats.

Top Detox Smoothie Recipes

After the excess of Christmas and the late night parties of New Year, sometimes January gives us the feeling that we need to detox our bodies and clean out our systems.  One excellent way of doing this without resorting to crash diets is to include detox smoothies into our day.  Smoothies are easy to make, can be put into containers to take to work and can be tailored to exactly what you need.  Here are a few suggestions.

Vitamin C Boost

Vitamin C isn’t something the body can produce on its own but it something essential we need to get from our food.  It is vital for protecting our cells and keeping them healthy as well as boosting the immune system.  Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which helps to protect the body against harmful free radicals that have been connected with arthritis, heart disease and even cancer.

Ingredients:

·         200g blackberries, blueberries or a mixture of the two

·         600ml sweetened soya milk

·         Pinch ground cinnamon

·         1 tsp runny honey

Add all the ingredients to the blender and mix together until smooth then add into a tall glass to enjoy chilled.

Banana, Honey & Ginger Smoothie

Bananas not only offer a fantastic taste to a smoothie and a great colour, but are packed full of helpful minerals and vitamins.  For example, a single medium banana contains vitamins C, B6, dietary fibre, protein and potassium as well as being free of fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Ingredients:

·         Ground ginger (added to your taste)

·         2 tbsp runny honey

·         4 tbsp probiotic/live yoghurt

·         1 medium banana, ripe

·         Juice of 4 oranges

·         Juice of ½ lemon

Add the ginger to the bottom of the blender then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add to a tall glass and drink immediately to get the maximum benefit from the goodness in the banana.

Green Smoothie

Some experts say that in winter, our bodies tell us to get plenty of fresh greens to give us the vitamins we need when the sunshine is in short supply.  Greens such as kale and spinach are top of the list but not to everyone’s taste.  By hiding them in a smoothie, the fruit flavours can mask the ‘green-ness’ while still retaining all the goodness.

Ingredients:

·         1 banana, sliced

·         150g green grapes

·         200g vanilla yoghurt

·         ½ apple, cored and chopped

·         50g fresh spinach leaves

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender until it reaches the desired consistency.  If it is still too thick, add a tablespoon of milk, soya milk or juice until it reaches your preferred thickness.

Conclusion

Most smoothies come in tall glasses to get the most out of each drink and this provides a great opportunity for a perfect present for a smoothie-loving friend.  Why not get them their very own ‘Smoothie-Only’ personalised glass for their birthday and print off some recipes to go in the box with it?  That way, they always have everything they need to hand to make the perfect smoothies and get that freshly detoxed feeling.

Recipes:

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www.allrecipes.co.uk