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Newsletter 6

Good morning

Hope you are all keeping well, and enjoying the sunshine. I’m keeping it short and simple this week, with a little information on lung health and a sweet treat recipe. There is also a link to a great article which I feel most people will benefit from reading.

Lung health

Like every other organ system in your body, your lungs require care and attention if you want them to function optimally.

Your lungs are part of your respiratory system, located in your chest behind your rib cage. 

The primary function of your lungs is to bring in oxygen from the air you breathe and pass it into your bloodstream to be utilized by the cells and tissues in your body. The oxygen is exchanged into carbon dioxide and carried back to your lungs to be exhaled. 

Other important functions that your lungs play a role in are balancing the pH of your body, filtering small blood clots and air bubbles, and very importantly protecting you from bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. 

The mucus that lines your lungs traps dust and other unwanted particles, while the cilia (tiny hair-like projections) help to move the particles out of your body, either via coughing or swallowing to be broken down during digestion.

Respiratory diseases can occur from a number of factors including inflammation such as asthma, COPD, physical restriction due to obesity or fibrosis, infections (from bacteria, fungi, and viruses) and oxidative stress.

Therefore it is very important to support your lung function especially in the current situation.

Activities to support your lungs

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises can help rid your lungs of accumulated stale air, enhance your intake of oxygen, and assist the diaphragm of doing its job of contracting and bringing in fresh air.

A simple exercise is pursed lip breathing and is done by breathing in through your nose, and then breathing out twice as long through your mouth while pursing your lips. This exercise keeps your airways open longer by reducing the number of breaths you take. Repeat for five to ten minutes.

Please see last week’s email for contacts to Nicky and James who are experts in this field and have great resources

Exercise

By engaging in physical activity, it will increase your lung capacity, which means you take in more oxygen. You don’t need to hyperventilate to get the benefits, just elevate your breathing while taking a brisk walk, walking up and down your stairs, or a bike ride.

Avoid pollutants

Pollutants are one of the worst offenders when it comes to lung health. The pollutants that can accumulate inside your home are often worse than the environmental pollutants you’ll find outside. Since most people spend the majority of their time inside, this can be a significant issue.

Pollutants that can be found in the air inside your home, include:

  • Materials from furniture
  • Household cleaning products
  • Certain types of pressed wood products
  • Dust
  • Personal care items
  • Central heating and cooling systems
  • Air fresheners
  • Candles
  • Mould
  • Smoking

Therefore it is wise to open windows and have good consistent ventilation.

Utilise a true HEPA filter to purify the air of pollutants, as well as allergens, mould, and bacteria.

A great article to read

Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting

A sweet treat

Chocolate Cream Pie

Prep time – 20 minutes

Cooking time – 20 minutes

Inactive time – 3 hours

Total time – 3 hours 40 mins

Coconut Filling:

1 ½ cans of full-fat coconut milk 

2 small cans of coconut cream

¼ tsp. of sea salt

1 tbsp. gelatin – red tub

4 squirts of stevia 

4 tbsp. of raw cacao

**If you like this sweeter, use 4 full dropper squirts and if you like the sweetness more mild you can use 2.  If you don’t want added sweetness, you can avoid using the stevia all together.

Grain-Free Crust:

1 ½ cups of fine shredded coconut, unsweetened

¼ cup of coconut flour (optional)

1 tsp of chia seeds 

1 tsp of hemp seeds

3 tbsp. of melted butter or coconut oil

Coconut Whipped Cream:

1 can of coconut cream refrigerated

Dash of sea salt

2 squirts of chocolate stevia

2 tbsp. of raw cacao

Instructions

1.         In a medium bowl, mix shredded coconut, coconut flour (optional), chia seeds, hemp seeds, and butter (or coconut oil).

2.         Spread and form mixture into a pie pan. Place in freezer for 15-30 minutes for the crust to firm.

3.         In a saucepan over medium heat, add coconut milk and coconut cream, bring to a boil and stir until lumps are gone.

4.         Once boiling, reduce heat to a summer and sprinkle in gelatin. Continue to stir for about 10 minutes until thickened.

5.         Remove from heat and stir in or stevia (or other sweetener), raw cacao and sea salt to make a chocolate coconut batter.

6.         Pour the chocolate coconut batter over crust and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

7.         In a medium bowl, make the whipped cream by adding the coconut cream, raw cacao, chocolate stevia and sea salt together and mix until whipped.

8.         Top the pie with whipped cream and sprinkle raw cacao or cinnamon on the top and enjoy!

Have a great week, get out in the fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, have lots of me time and keep calm.

Emma