Why reducing salt is good for me

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A pinch here and a grind there, salt on our food is a habit many of us can’t break, but maybe we need to think about putting some restrictions in place.

While we need some salt in our diet to keep our hearts, bones, muscles and brains working well, too much isn’t a good thing. Going OTT with the salt shaker can raise your blood pressure which increases your risk of developing heart disease, so you need to keep an eye on things.

We know that people sometimes think that going without salt is tasteless, but this isn’t the case, so we have looked at what you can do to keep the salt levels down and your health levels high.

Check it out
When you are shopping, read the nutritional information on labels and where you can, go with low-salt options and ingredients. You will be amazed where salt, like sugar hides. Ketchup, bread, cereals, crackers and even pizzas are packed with the white stuff, so do your research and start to make sensible swaps.

Change habits
Like most things, making small changes and taking things one step at a time is the key to salt reduction success. Add less salt to your food when you are cooking, and don’t even put the salt on the table when you are eating. Cutting down this way means your taste buds will adapt and over time you will simply get used to a new normal when it comes to salt and food.

Look at spices
You don’t have to flavour your food with salt, there are healthier options out there. Black pepper, herbs, garlic, spices like turmeric as well as garlic and lemon juice all pack a flavour punch but without the health hazards of salt. With this said, do read those labels again when it comes to things like soy sauce and seasoning packets as some of these are very high in salt and worth avoiding.

Go meat free
A lot of processed meat comes with a lot of salt, so just look at how much you are eating and where changes can be made here. Those gammon steaks, bacon butties and sausage casseroles might taste great, but part of that comes from all the salt. Even if it is once or twice a week, go meat free and look at some of the veggie and vegan options that are out there, and you might find you actually prefer them.

Salt swaps
We all know that snacks like crisps and some nuts come with a heavy salt serving, so swapping for chopped fruit and vegetables with dips, and make salty foods such as bacon, cheese, takeaways and ready meals a treat rather than an everyday occurrence.

Just think about it, with the experts saying that we should eat no more than six grams of salt each day – that’s about one teaspoon – if we want to be healthy, maybe it’s time we went back to basics and looked at just how much we are eating and where changes can be made for a brighter future.

Team Pure Beauty

Don’t let autumn bugs get you down

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Autumn is a beautiful time of the year, but the changing seasons, and the kids going back to school, means it also comes with a wave of health concerns. While a healthy diet, lots of water, good sleep patterns and exercise can keep you fit, bugs do come along so we have had a look at what they are, and what you can do to get things under control.

Coughs and colds
Coughs and colds make a sharp come back in the chillier months of the year and while they make you feel tired and sorry for yourself, fortunately they aren’t that bad and do go away. The common cold can’t be treated with antibiotics, so you don’t need to see your GP, and you can treat the aches and pains with over the counter painkillers. Keep fluids up, drink soups and smoothies, use a vapour rub and get some rest. Do remember to use a tissue to catch germs when you sneeze and cough and then bin the tissue and wash your hands to stop passing onto others.

Flu
If you have flu you will know it as you will feel terrible for several weeks. Flu can be serious for young children, the elderly, and anyone with a respiratory illness or disease. Flu gives you bad muscle aches and pains that prevent you from getting out of bed, you have a high fever, a raw throat and cough that can keep you awake at night. Again, there is no cure, but you can have the vaccination, which is free for vulnerable groups, otherwise it’s painkillers, rest, a hot water bottle and lots of fluids. If things do get really bad and your symptoms aren’t easing, speak to your GP and just check that you don’t have anything more serious.

Mental health
As the nights draw in, the hours of sunshine decrease and the cold hits our bones, some of us may well experience lower moods, increased anxiety and SAD. A healthy diet, exercise, time outside and a vitamin D supplement can help. If you feel down and just can’t shake this off, contact your GP and see if you can talk to someone and look at the options, but do not suffer in silence.

Sick bugs
Some viruses at this time of year will cause upset tunnies, vomiting, or both, which are pretty miserable, so stay in bed and rest up. Hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus, and you shouldn’t return to work or school until 48 hours after things have cleared.

Throat infections
Viral infections can cause sore throats that then become infected and inflamed. You can use painkillers from the chemist, but if you have difficulty swallowing, a temperature, painful and swollen glands, or white spots on your tonsils, you may have tonsillitis so will need to see your GP.

So, eat well, drink water, get lots of rest and keep the bugs away as much as you can.

Team Pure Beauty

Healthy Halloween Treats

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With cooler than cool costumes being chosen and tricks being planned, Halloween is in the air and it is coming to get you!

While many of us think of stocking up on sweets and chocolates for 31st October, but these aren’t the only things you can serve up to party guests and doorstep visitors.

We have had a look at some spooky snacks which look, and taste great, but won’t play havoc with your blood sugar levels or waistline.

Haunted pizzas
Make your own bases, then add tomato sauce, cut out ghost shapes from mozzarella and make olives for eyes, and when it comes out of the oven, you will have a wicked haunted pizza that people will be dying to eat.

Serve a skeleton with slime
This idea is super simple but also totally delicious and good for you. Place slices of crunchy carrot, cucumber, pepper, and celery together on a plate in the shape of a skeleton. Then mix the eye of newt and toe of frog (avocado and lemon juice to you and I) and you will have slime to go with your bones.

Kiwi frogs
If you want to ensure that your five a day goal is reached, even when the temptation is to go for the toffees, fruity frogs are a real winner. Layer thick slices of ripe kiwi fruit, add a slice of strawberry to make a tongue, and blueberries are great for eyes, and you will soon have a healthy witching treat, even fussy eaters will enjoy.

Sick salad
This sounds gross, but it is actually really delicious. Buy an extra pumpkin, wash and clean it, carve out eyes and a mouth and put your masterpiece on a large plate. Then, place a cool concoction of fruit like strawberries, sliced grapes, tangerine segments, blueberries and melon balls in the mouth of the pumpkins, and you will have a sick salad just waiting to be eaten – but take a photo for Instagram (#halloween) before you do!

Banana ghosts
Now you see them, now you don’t! Banana ghosts are really simple to make, look brilliant, and are just a little bit naughty too. Take a bunch of bananas (medium-sized and not too soft), peel and chop them in half, stand flat side down on a plate, create mouths and eyes from chocolate chips and you have a seriously spooky offering.

Satsuma pumpkins
For a tempting dose of Vitamin C, why not use a little magic to turn your satsumas into pumpkins? Take a bag of the little lovelies, peel them, put them on a spooky napkin on a plate, add a carrot stick to make a stork and a sprinkling of plastic spiders, and you have created a scary masterpiece. You can also smear celery sticks with peanut butter, strategically place a handful of fake spiders and you’ll have some spooky logs just waiting to be munched.

Just add eyeballs
If you want to really freak your guests out, forget the ice and add eyeballs to their drinks. You can buy jelly sweet versions, or if you want to go for the natural option, stuff a lychee with a blueberry, pierce with a cocktail stick and then rest this on the rim of a glass and watch their mouths fall open!

We hope we have shown you that sweets don’t have to reign supreme when it comes to Halloween, and we wish you a very scary 31 October.

Team Pure Beauty

Keep your pets safe at Christmas

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For many of us ‘Sammy the Spaniel’ and ‘Toby the Tabby’ are as much a part of the family as the kids and grandma.

While you might think the odd human treat shows your pet just how much you love them, it could actually cause catastrophic damage and spoil the festivities for everyone.

We have some top tips on how to keep your furry friends safe and well this Christmas.

The Christmas tree
This might sound totally OTT but if you have pets then it’s a good idea to go for non-toxic decorations – details should be on the packaging. We don’t want to spoil all the fun but if you can, avoid edible decorations because these will be sniffed out, pulled down and eaten. If you go for a real tree make sure you hoover up any needles from the floor and just check the pot for any pet presents!

Lights
Fairy lights are pretty but they can be harmful, so watch out for anyone getting tangled up and if you aren’t in the room, turn them off to save any electric shocks.

Plants
Yes, Christmas plants look pretty and make the house feel festive but holly, amaryllis, poinsettias, mistletoe and pine sap are all poisonous to cats and dogs but they don’t know this and will have a chew anyway.

Chocolate
Uncle Billy might think a little bit of Dairy Milk won’t hurt Frodo but he is wrong. Chocolate contains theobromine which is dangerous for dogs and other pets, so don’t let them tuck in. Also make sure mince pies, Christmas cake and anything else containing raisins are put out of reach and never leave glasses of wine or beer on the floor or you could be in trouble.

Bones
We know that chicken and turkey bones look perfect for your pooch but the reality is that they can splinter and this can cause serious problems for your pet, so wrap them in newspaper and put in the dustbin as soon as you can.

Routine
While the holidays mean you can take a break from your everyday routine, it is important that life is kept as normal as possible for your pets.

Continue to feed at the same time each day, make sure they have access to water and don’t use this as a time to try out new food – it might make life unpleasant for all. You might not feel like going out in the cold, but dogs still need to be walked and you will actually find that a run around the park will tire them out and stop them from being disruptive and hyper when people come to visit.

Presents
If you don’t want your new boots to be chewed or that cashmere jumper to be used as a new bed, get your pet a present too this Christmas. A dog bone, new toy or bright ball will keep them entertained and out of mischief.

A quiet place
If the house is going to be busier than usual and full of strange people, make sure your pets have a safe retreat. Put their bed in the utility room or spare bedroom with their toys and blankets so they have somewhere safe to retreat to when it gets too much.

The rules
Speaking of guests, it is important they know not to pull your pets around, especially if children are coming to the house. Gently explain your rules and also ask people not to open doors, gates or windows as you don’t want your animals to escape and get injured or lost.

If anything does go wrong, call your vet as soon as possible to the necessary treatment can be carried out.

Team Pure Beauty

Chicken soup, the soul lifter

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Old wives tale or not, there is something magical about chicken soup.

Clear broths for poorly tums, spicy chicken noodle soup for a stuffy nose and there is nothing like a lovely bowl of hot, creamy soup to cheer you up when you are feeling below par.

You can of course get it in a can, but if you want something super-nourishing that will warm you up and make you feel better and brighter, we have the perfect recipe for you.

For our winning bug buster you will need:

5 chicken thighs (ideally organic)
1 small butternut squash, deseeded
1 small pack of Shiitake mushrooms, washed
4 cloves of garlic
1 red onion
2 green chillies
1 piece of fresh ginger (a 5cm square should work)
1 litre of fresh chicken stock
To make a perfect pan soup, you will need to:

Chop the chillies, garlic, onion and sauté them together until the onion softens and goes slightly brown.

Next, chop the butternut squash into manageable cubes, slice the mushrooms and add to the pan together with the chicken. Stir all of this together and then add enough stock to cover the ingredients.

Turn down the heat and simmer the mix until the squash is soft and the chicken is cooked.

This is the bit many people don’t do, and makes all the difference. Carefully remove the chicken from the soup and put on plate, put the other ingredients in a blender and mix until you have a smooth soup base.

Loosen the chicken from the bones, shred and then put back into the now smooth soup and serve.

Individually these ingredients are powerful, together they are potent, and this is why.

Let’s start with the chicken. We all know chicken is a source of protein which is vital for your immune systems but it also packed with zinc, which is believed to reduce the severity and length of colds.

The chicken stock is added because that extra bit of liquid will not only help hydrate you but also clear blocked noses.

Green chillies are a brilliant natural decongestant that stimulates nasal membranes and helps clear nasty mucus.

Garlic contains the compound allicin, which is full of antibacterial and antiviral properties, which help mop up cold viruses and get rid of them a little bit faster.

We suggest using red, rather than white onions, because they contain antibacterial properties and offer and added blast of goodness.

Butternut squash isn’t always used in soup but we like it because it is full of betacarotene, which an anti-inflammatory that will also helping clear up a stuff nose. Bet you didn’t know that?

Ginger is an all round natural bug busting wonder product. It fires up you circulation so those white blood cells can deal with any infection fast, it warms up if you are feeling cold and because it has anti-inflammatory properties it can clear bunged up noses and heavy heads.

We love this soup served piping hot with a slice of garlic bread and large glass of water with lemon, but there are other ways to enjoy it.

If bread isn’t for you, but you need a little more energy, why not add a handful of brown rice or quinoa.

If you have been on antibiotics, adding a spoonful of live yoghurt will give you a much-needed serving of gut-friendly bacteria.

If you are a vegetarian, don’t despair. Swapping the chicken thighs for a handful of almonds will give you a healthy serving of essential amino acids that are brilliant immune system boosters.

What’s your favourite soup, we would love to know.

Team Pure-Beauty