Eating myself healthy - featuring Vegancity and Gourmet Spirulina

This winter has not been good for me health wise.  I picked up a bug back in October and ended up with a seemingly never ending round of coughs, colds, sinusitis, flu, upper respiratory and chest infections. I didn't have a 'well' day in three months.  When feeling grotty, lethargic and poorly becomes the norm, you know you have to take action.

This year, I made a stand against my ill health and pledged to start 2015 by embracing a much healthier lifestyle.  This means that all cooking will be done from scratch, incorporating lots of super healthy, nutrient rich ingredients.  Processed foods and refined sugars are to be kept to an absolute minimum. So far, I have kept to this new regime, and finally I am feeling good again!

Mornings start with a green smoothie made in my Nutribullet.  With 50% green vegetables such as kale and spinach, along with 50% fruit such as  banana, satsuma, apple, berries, kiwi or pear, plus a handful of nuts or seeds, topped with filtered water, my morning meal is a blast of vitamins, iron, anti-oxidants and plant goodness in a glass.

Family dinner times have been completely overhauled using menu planning and meals include tofu stir fry, lentil and sweet potato curry, vegetable based pasta dishes, Quorn and veg shepherd's pie and slow cooked veggie stews. Thankfully the kids are enjoying their vegetable laden meals.

Taking supplements is a great way to ensure that the whole family are getting a full range of nutrients and having every aspect of their health supported.  Vegancity supply 100% vegan supplements which are high quality, ethically sourced and suitable for everyone.  The company is committed to re-using packaging materials, using recyclable containers and reducing waste, minimising their carbon footprint. They are good for you, good for the planet and are cruelty free.

I received some Ester-C 1000 tablets which are a non-acidic form of the powerful antioxidant vitamin C.  They help boost the immune system and help the body fight viral attacks. They are priced at £7.95 for 30. I also received a bottle of Multivitamin and Mineral tablets. They contain a comprehensive vegan vitamin and mineral combination that covers all the major nutrients needed for good health. They are easy to take and convenient, perfect for topping up a healthy lifestyle and cost £7.75 for 60. Supplements are good for providing peace of mind, knowing that everyone is getting everything they need nutritionally to keep healthy.

Vegancity sell a huge range of vegan tablets and tinctures that are free from sugar, gluten, yeast and wheat, making them perfect for everyone.  I love that they are all vegetarian and vegan friendly, as so many supplements contain gelatin or products derived from animal sources, which I won't eat.  It's good to know that I can shop with confidence from Vegancity.

Find out more at www.vegancity.com.

Gourmet Spirulina is a range of nutritionally dense artisanal nibs, petals and crunchies, made using the iron, vitamin and antioxidant rich ingredient, raw spirulina.  Spirulina is considered a superfood, made from microscopic algae, that can help support health.  It is dark green in colour and contains phycocyanin, which is a blue pigment and a highly reactive antioxidant.

Spirulina Petals are delicate in both taste and texture, making them ideal for discovering both the taste and nutritional benefits of raw spirulina. They are ideal sprinkled in desserts or eaten in a dried fruit mix.

Spirulina Nibs are the mildest spirulina superfood with a nutty-taste, they are ideal for people new to the taste of raw spirulina, and can be sprinkled into virtually any dish.

Spirulina Crunchies are crisp and tasty, packed with chlorophyll. Their crispy texture makes them an ideal snack with fruit juice and they are also ideal for adding to everyday dishes, or nutritious smoothies.

I was sent a selection of samples and tried the Gourmet Spirulina Crunchies, which have a fine gravelly consistency, a crunchy texture and a savoury taste. It was quite an intense and interesting eating experience that turned my teeth green!  The flavour is quite unique but not unpleasant.  For me, the idea of adding the Gourmet Spirulina to dishes or sprinkling over meals seems like a great way to add some potent nutrients to what I eat.  I'll definitely be adding a Spirulina boost to my green smoothies.

Gourmet Spirulina Nibs, Gourmet Spirulina Petals and Gourmet Spirulina Crunchies all retail at £13.00 for 90g and are available on-line from www.pulpastore.co.uk and in health food stores.

I am really enjoying trying harder with the food I prepare for my family, packing as much goodness as I can into meals.  It's always great to find new vegetarian and vegan products like the Spirulina to add a little extra nutritional oomph into what I make.

I really do believe that we are what we eat, and my improving health is proving to me that paying extra attention to what goes in my mouth is definitely beneficial.  

Detoxification with Higher Nature

If this is the year that you have promised yourself that you will strive to get fitter and healthier, then you may be interested in Higher Nature.  Higher Nature, supplier of vitamins and organic foods, has a great range of supplements and natural beauty products that can help give our bodies a much needed boost.


I was sent a jar of fragrance-free Alka-Bathe detoxifying mineral bath salts to try out.  Alka-Bathe provides alkalising minerals (Potassium, Sodium bicarbonate and Silicon dioxide) for a complete detox. Cleansing and detoxifying the skin by drawing out acid waste products, it is also relaxing and soothing - comparable to a hot spring spa. Only two tablespoons are needed per bath.  The 650g clip-top Kilner jar looks great in the bathroom and comes with a wooden scoop which hangs from the clip. 

I love the design of the jar and the scoop.  It looks really lovely and would make a perfect gift. The promise of a spa treatment in your own home is very appealing.


Suggested Usage:


Sprinkle approximately two tablespoons of Alka-Bathe under the taps as you fill the bath. Re-cap immediately. Soak for at least 15 minutes, gently rubbing your body with a washcloth or loofah to facilitate the cleansing action. Preferably, do not wash your hair when using Alka-Bathe. After bathing, dry off and rest for 5-10 minutes. 


I've had a very stressful few weeks so a detoxifying bath was just what the doctor ordered.  As it is fragrance free, lighting a few scented candles helped engage all the senses for a relaxing experience.  Soaking for 15 minutes gives you a chance to forget all your worries and to get away from it all.  


The bath salts dissolve very well in the water.  The bath water didn't feel any different (sometimes bath products make you feel a bit 'slimy'), which I imagine is because these salts are very pure and natural.  As there were no bubbles or fragrance, it was a very different bathing experience. But if you just imagine that you are bathing in a hot spring spa and let the salts do their work, it is most enjoyable.  


Bathing in alkaline mineral salts promises to alkalize your body, drawing out impurities and toxins and promote healing.  It is also meant to be really good after strenuous exercise to relax and soothe muscles.  For a full detox you can use the salts in conjunction with Alka-Clear capsules or powders also available from Higher Nature.


The Alka-Bathe is vegan and not tested on animals and has a hypo-allergenic formula.


The 650g glass jar with scoop costs £20.95.   (A 450g pack is available for £14.20 but it doesn't come in the glass jar.)