Winter can seem like one long wait for spring. Piling on the jumpers and scarves, watching the gas meter tick inevitably forward and filling our hungry bellies with comforting stodgy food. By the time spring comes round we long to throw off those layers and emerge as gorgeous butterflies again, but all those mince pies at Christmas, filling roast dinners and festive tipples can leave you feeling weighed down and sluggish.
Even if you don't put on weight over the winter, your liver may still have to work harder to process any extra sugar, fat, alcohol and caffeine you take in over the colder months. A sluggish and overburdened liver can make you feel tired, grumpy and increase problems due to hormones such as PMS.
So rather than waiting for spring, how about making a few changes now to improve your chances of greeting spring with a skip in your step and a song in your heart? Here's a list of suggestions:
Start the day with a hot lemon and ginger tea to detoxify the liver and encourage blood circulation. first thing in the morning is when your liver is working at detoxification - so give it all the help you can. Simply place a few slices of fresh root ginger and a slice of lemon in a cup, squash a little with a spoon to release the juice and top up with boiling water.
Swap sandwiches for soup. Buy yourself a flask and try taking soup to work instead of sandwiches. You can make enough for the week in one go and just heat up what you need in the morning. Most vegetables except potatoes are good for your liver but the following will really help it do its job:
Carrots, Celery, Beetroot, Dark leafy greens, Broccoli, Onions, Garlic, Leeks and Squash.
You can also increase the benefits of your soup by adding any of the following herbs and spices:
Rosemary, Caraway seeds, Cayenne Pepper, Root ginger, Lemon zest and juice and Ground Turmeric.
Even if you don't put on weight over the winter, your liver may still have to work harder to process any extra sugar, fat, alcohol and caffeine you take in over the colder months. A sluggish and overburdened liver can make you feel tired, grumpy and increase problems due to hormones such as PMS.
So rather than waiting for spring, how about making a few changes now to improve your chances of greeting spring with a skip in your step and a song in your heart? Here's a list of suggestions:
Start the day with a hot lemon and ginger tea to detoxify the liver and encourage blood circulation. first thing in the morning is when your liver is working at detoxification - so give it all the help you can. Simply place a few slices of fresh root ginger and a slice of lemon in a cup, squash a little with a spoon to release the juice and top up with boiling water.
Swap sandwiches for soup. Buy yourself a flask and try taking soup to work instead of sandwiches. You can make enough for the week in one go and just heat up what you need in the morning. Most vegetables except potatoes are good for your liver but the following will really help it do its job:
Carrots, Celery, Beetroot, Dark leafy greens, Broccoli, Onions, Garlic, Leeks and Squash.
You can also increase the benefits of your soup by adding any of the following herbs and spices:
Rosemary, Caraway seeds, Cayenne Pepper, Root ginger, Lemon zest and juice and Ground Turmeric.
Here are a few recipes to get you started:
Velvet soup, Squash and lentil soup, Hot and Sour Coconut soup, Spiced parsnip soup and Carrot and ginger soup.
When you fancy a comforting pudding, try my Crumble recipe which uses ground almonds and honey in place of flour and sugar. You can substitute any fruit for the peaches called for in the recipe.
Pretty soon you'll find you just want to get out there and throw some snow balls - never mind the layers.
x x x
Velvet soup, Squash and lentil soup, Hot and Sour Coconut soup, Spiced parsnip soup and Carrot and ginger soup.
When you fancy a comforting pudding, try my Crumble recipe which uses ground almonds and honey in place of flour and sugar. You can substitute any fruit for the peaches called for in the recipe.
Pretty soon you'll find you just want to get out there and throw some snow balls - never mind the layers.
x x x
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